Helpless When She Smiles
by Valentine'sNinja
Summary: Vincent never knew how much he would miss the sound of Yuffie's voice once it was gone. Part 5 of 5. Complete!
1. Sparks

Hey, how is everyone doing? Well, this is the newest addition to my fics, and it's dedicated to Nariosaw, who needs a little push in the direction of the Yuffie/Vincent shipping. I hope this fic is your boarding pass for the bus, hehe. Anyway, it may seem a little farfetched and out there, but hang with me, because all that goes on is essential for the plot. I'm guessing that this fic is going to be a three-part that I'm working on at the moment and it's a bit long for a first chapter, but like I said, I needed all the info that's packed into this first chapter. I hope everyone likes it!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters used in this fiction. They are property of Square Enix and I am making no money off of them. Also, I don't own "Helpless When She Smiles," by the Backstreet Boys, I guess the song belongs to them. Hehe, I'm a teeny-bopper at heart…

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**Helpless When She Smiles**

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**Sparks**

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Chaos was gone. Had been gone for more than a year now, and his ex-host felt more at peace than he had in the past thirty-five years in his life, including those he had spent in the coffin at the Shinra Mansion. Though he still felt the weight of all the things that he hadn't been able to stop, he knew that Lucrecia would not have wanted him to spend the rest of his immortal life in darkness, repenting for his sins. She had saved him, even though Chaos had been a curse more than half of the time. She still lived on inside the girl, Shelke, but Vincent knew that the real Lucrecia was gone. There would be no substitute.

He hadn't seen much of the old AVALANCHE gang this past year, but he visited of his own accord. Cloud and Tifa were finally together, expecting their first child in about three more months, during the month of December, and Denzel was ecstatic. Barret had married Elmyra and they were living with Marlene in Kalm. Cid was also with Shera, and they were trying to come to an agreement as to what to call the baby that was due any day now. Both she and Tifa were having baby girls. Red XIII was conducting his research and still living at Cosmo Canyon, but he visited them all as well whenever he could.

The WRO, or World Regenesis Organization, was still headed by Reeve and he called Vincent a few times a month to help with some operations, and with taking care of some loose ends concerning Deepground. The only person he had not seen in this past year had been the girl who had always been there with a smile on her face, or trying to get a rise out of him by stealing his materia, or stealing the ammunition of his guns.

She had gone to Wutai to help her father rule, and to try return her country to its past splendor. She hadn't come to see him since, but she always found time for a phone call. Vincent answered all her calls, even when she couldn't sleep and decided that he didn't need sleep either. Though he would never admit it to her, he had missed seeing her smiling face. He had become accustomed to seeing her during their quest against Sephiroth, and then during the Deepground situation. She had become an important part of his life, almost as important as Lucrecia had been, but not in the same sense. He didn't love her. He was fond of her, but nothing more. He was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of his phone ringing. He opened it and waited for Yuffie to speak, since the screen had showed that it was her.

"……Vince?" her voice was shaky.

"Yuffie?"

There was a moment of silence and he could hear the sounds of a struggle on her end. "Vincent, they're attacking the palace…… I can take most of them, but if there are more, I don't think I'll be able to handle them all!" She gave a choked sob. "I think my father is dead, and they're coming after members of the council and whoever is related to us…"

"Yuffie, who?" he asked, grabbing his gun and making for the door of his small home. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Vince, but…… they're killing everyone in the palace, so I'm next!" she said urgently. He could hear the sound of her shuriken cutting through the air.

"You need to get out of there! Do you hear me? I will be there as soon as I can," he said quickly. When there was no response, his gut clenched. "Yuffie?"

"Vince, hurry. I think… I think I'm surrounded…" she trailed off and the line went dead.

"Yuffie?" he asked once, but it was no use. The line was dead and when he tried dialing her number, there was no answer. He dialed another number instead.

"Who the fuck is this? I'm in the middle of something!" the man yelled into the phone.

"Cid."

"Vincent?"

"Yuffie is in trouble. It appears her father was killed, and she was being attacked. Where are you?"

Cid cursed fluently into the phone. "I'm about ten minutes away from your place, trying to… never mind, I can get to you in a few minutes. Who is attacking the brat?" he asked worriedly.

"I do not know. She called to tell me, but the line went dead. It appears that the palace was under attack. I do not know anymore," said Vincent.

"Shit. Do you think we need to get Cloud and the others?" Cid asked.

"No," Vincent said quickly. "We need to get to Wutai as soon as possible. There's no time to waste."

"The Shera is ready to go… oh and Cloud and Tifa just got here. Might as well bring them along. Where are you?"

"At my home," Vincent replied impatiently.

"Stay there. I'll be there in minutes," he said before he hung up.

Vincent sighed heavily and tried Yuffie's number again but the voicemail picked up automatically. He didn't want to worry. Yuffie was a ninja. But still… she was such a small girl, and if she was outnumbered…… Vincent didn't want to contemplate what could happen to her if they didn't get to Wutai on time. On foot, he would be there in hours, same as by Chocobo. Cid would get them there in under and hour with the new upgrades done to The Shera. He looked up when a rope ladder was thrown down to him from the airship and he grabbed onto it, climbing easily. He just hoped that Yuffie would be able to hold her ground until they got there.

………

Cloud frowned as he and the others raced off of the airship and ran into Wutai. The streets were filled with people, going about their lives as if nothing were amiss. He turned to Tifa as she stepped up next to him, then he looked at Vincent. "Are you sure she didn't just prank call you?"

Vincent looked around as well. "We should find out," he said before making his way to the palace on the side of the largest mountain.

Tifa kept pace with them, even with her swollen stomach, though she had promised to make her way back to the ship if things were too out of hand. Behind her and Cid, a few of the WRO officers and medics were following, just in case their services were needed.

At the entrance of the palace, there were no guards, and no servants, halting their passage inside. Vincent found it strange, that and the fact that everything was eerily quiet. He unholstered his gun and took cautious steps forward, ignoring the soldiers who had also taken formation and were scanning the grounds for anything out of place. The lights were off inside of the great building, but he didn't need light to see where he was going; neither did Cloud, who had drawn his great sword. They moved forward quietly, but nothing stirred. His senses were being pushed to their limit, and still he could see no movement. Then an acrid scent hit his nose, and Cloud made a noise as he took it in as well.

Tifa made a slight gagging sound and moved closer to Cloud. "Is that… blood?" she asked, feeling her stomach roil. Though she wasn't a stranger to blood, her pregnancy had made her highly sensitive to many smells.

"Yes," replied Cloud, catching sight of the owners of the blood. Men dressed in all black were littered on the ground, next to guards of the palace. A bit further off, was a man they recognized immediately. "That's Yuffie's father," he said, running over to check for his pulse. There was none and he looked at his friends and shook his head.

"It seems no one is fuckin' alive," said Cid gruffly. Deep inside his heart was twisting at the thought of the ninja brat having suffered the same fate as her old man.

Vincent moved ahead of them and towards the throne room, checking the darkness and finding nothing stirring in their as well. Then he saw her. She was lying in a pool of blood, though he wasn't sure if it was her own or if it belonged to the bodies of her enemies all around her. He ran forward, not even bothering to see if Cloud and Tifa were following him. He dropped to his knees at her side, not caring that the red liquid was soaking into his clothes, and he felt her throat for her pulse, his fingers encountering warm liquid trickling over the skin. Cid found the lights and turned them on, hearing the gasp from Tifa as they took in Yuffie. There was blood trailing from her head and down one side of her face, and her throat…

"Oh god," Tifa gasped out. "Is she alive?" she asked, turning into Cloud's arms and trying to keep her tears at bay.

"She is," Vincent murmured. "But… she has been bleeding out for nearly and hour. We need to get her to the medical bay on your ship as soon as possible," he forced out, his eyes taking in the way her throat… the way her throat was slit and the blood that was still leaking out.

"Medic!" Cid bellowed, calling forward a WRO soldier so that he could tend to the wound before they got her to the ship.

"She's so pale," Cloud said numbly.

Vincent merely nodded and took in the way her breathing was labored and her skin was a pasty white. The medic shot her with a mild sedative and cleaned the wound on her throat as much as he could before wrapping the gauze firmly around to stop the bleeding.

"She will need surgery, but we must get her blood first, otherwise she will bleed out completely even before we can close the wound," said the man.

Vincent gathered her in his arms gently and stood. "Search the bodies," he said coldly. "Find any that are still alive and detain them. I will take her to the airship."

Cloud, Tifa, and Cid followed as fast as they could, but Vincent was all speed as he nearly flew back towards The Shera. "She'll live, sweetheart," Cloud reassured Tifa as he saw the tears trailing down her face. "She's Yuffie and you know how stubborn she can be. She won't give up," he said, wondering if he was trying to convince himself as well.

………

Ugh. She felt like shit, as Cid was so fond of saying after he'd been on a bender. Her throat was beyond dry, and her eyes felt as if they had been glued together. Well, at least she was still alive. But Godo wasn't. Her eyes watered and tears leaked through even before she could open her eyes.

A hand, gentle and warm cleaned the tears away and she opened her eyes, her vision blurry. All she could see was crimson and black, but she knew who it was, even without seeing him clearly. He had always had a unique scent of gunpowder and spice, and the fragrance was now invading her senses. She parted her lips to say his name, but no sound came out. Hmm, maybe she had been out for so long, her vocal cords were out of it. She rubbed her eyes with one hand and motioned for the water.

Vincent poured her a cup and placed a straw inside so that she didn't have to raise her head too much. "How are you feeling?"

Yuffie swallowed the cool water and winced when her throat twitched and a small pain raced up to her chin. She pointed to her throat and that was when she finally felt the gauze that was wrapped snugly around the wound she remembered receiving before she had taken care of the man for good. She looked at Vincent with wide eyes and mouthed the words when she could produce no sound. _"Why can't I talk?"_

Vincent looked at her. "I should call a doctor."

"_Wait!" _she would've yelled, judging by the expression on her face. "_You can read lips?"_

He nodded once. "It is a requirement for certain Turks. Are you in any type of pain?"

She shook her head. _"How long have I been out?"_

Vincent's gaze moved to the window. "You suffered head trauma. You have been in a coma for three weeks." At her gasp, he looked at her. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"_I don't really know. My pops was nagging me that I needed to find a husband before my twenty-fifth birthday when there were screams out in the hall. We armed ourselves at my insistence and went to see what was going on. There were armed men fighting the guards, and my father and I went to help. But that's what they wanted. We could hear guns going off as they killed the members of the council. Of course I dispatched the ones after me and pops, but the old man was foolish enough to shove me into the throne room in order to protect me." _She let out a shaky breath and tears leaked from her eyes.

Vincent watched her and listened in silence. Seeing her in tears made something in his chest twitch. The place that had been hollow since the day Lucrecia had chosen Hojo. But his eyes were intent on her lips as she took a deep breath and kept mouthing the words to him.

"_Godo died. Then the men broke down the door and went after me, that's when I called you. I took all but five down. They cornered me and I attacked. I fought them tooth and nail, but they got some good hits in. They almost got me once or twice. I took them all down, but I was careless and one snuck up on me. That one slit my throat, and I was already at the brink of passing out. I lay bleeding out and wondering if that was the end of me, then I knew no more."_

"The men who attacked were looking for revenge," said Vincent in a quiet voice.

"_Why?"_

"Your father…"

"_Just tell me."_

"Your father owed them a lot of money. They were an underground group. Gambling, drugs, anything illegal. They had given him a deadline which he didn't meet. They killed off every member of your family. Only two of your cousins survived and are out of danger," Vincent told her, watching her process the information.

She swallowed hard and it looked like it hurt her. _"My father gambled Wutai's money away? How… what if these men come back for us?"_

"They won't," said Vincent with quiet viciousness. "They're all dead." Yuffie looked at him in confusion. "No one will ever threaten you again, Yuffie."

Her brown eyes widened and she blinked. Then a small smile found its way to her face. _"When can I get out of here? My arm hurts."_

"I will call the doctor," he said, stepping out briefly. He returned with Reeve and a man in a white coat.

"How are we today, Ms. Kisaragi?" asked the man.

Yuffie tapped her throat and shook her head. A look passed over the man's face that made her pulse jump. But he said nothing and checked her reflexes, her vitals, and her vision. Then he checked a scabbed wound on her head and made various notes in her chart. She looked at Vincent, but his eyes were on the floor. Her eyes moved to Reeve and he gave her a kind smile.

"It's good to see that you're finally awake. You had us worried for a moment," said her friend.

She nodded and looked at Vincent before turning her eyes to the doctor. _"Why can't I talk?" _she asked, hoping Vincent voiced her question.

"She wants to know why she cannot speak," said the gunman.

The doctor let out a heavy sigh and looked at her. "We tried to repair the damage done to your throat. You will be able to eat and breathe with no problem, but… your vocal cords held most of the damage… there is a great possibility that you will not be able to talk again."

Yuffie just stared at him, eyes wide and glassy. _"What?" _she tried, but no sound left her throat. She sat there, not moving, not looking at anyone, feeling as if her life had just been snuffed out.

"We can try surgery again to try to repair more of the damage, but there is no guarantee that it will return your voice," the doctor said. "We truly did everything we could. I am sorry."

A shaking hand touched the healing wound. She was alive… but her voice. Her voice. More tears came, and she let out a ragged gasp as Reeve and Vincent approached the bed. She shook her head and pointed at the door. _"Get out! Get out!" _she tried to scream, but there was no sound. There would never be any sound from her again. Wasn't that what everyone had ever wanted? For her to be silent? She fell back onto the bed and wept, curling onto her side, ignoring the men as they left the room. All she was capable of uttering were weak gasps as she cried and cried.

……

She stared at the scar on her throat. One line on the outside—with more damage on the inside—that had taken away something precious from her. Her friends had tried to visit her more than once in the last few days, but she had refused to see them. Even Vincent. She had communicated with the doctor and nurses through writing, and had ignored the looks of sympathy from them. She didn't need sympathy from anyone. She did feel sorry that she had made Tifa cry in her state, but that was it.

Yuffie was aware that it wasn't their fault, but she didn't want to look at anyone. She didn't want to go back to Wutai either, so she would hand over the country to one of her cousins so that they could rule it. Maybe they would be able to do something for the country that Godo, in his stupidity, had ruined. There was no motivation left in her to fight for her country. How would she address her people? How would she negotiate their freedom if there was ever a need? She brushed her dark hair once and pulled on her clothing. Today she would be released from the WRO hospital, and she would be free to do what she wanted with her life. Godo was gone. The damage was done.

She stepped out of the bathroom, ignoring the painful throb as she caught a glimpse of her scar again, and made her way out of the room. She was healthy enough to leave on her own, and she had asked her doctor not to tell anyone that she would be leaving today. Confident that no one would hinder her escape, she stepped out of the room and nearly slammed into Vincent. Not too far behind was Reeve. Great. She should've known that they would find out. After all, the staff was under Reeve's authority. She huffed and rolled her eyes. _"What?"_

Vincent gave her a dark look. "Is there a reason why you didn't want anyone to know you were being released today?" he asked softly.

Reeve took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze, it appeared that he could read lips too. Goody. At least more than one person would be able to understand her, Yuffie thought. "We care for your safety, Yuffie. We want to help," he said gently.

"_Can you give me my voice back?"_ she asked, trying to place as much bitterness as she could into her expression.

"No, we can't," Vincent replied. "But we can help you find a way to get through this, if you let us."

"_This coming from the man who wants no help in forgetting his dead girlfriend?"_

Vincent ignored the jab, but Reeve spoke. "We're talking about you right now. Not Vincent. We know it's hard to get through something like this alone. Vincent lost… many things. I lost my mother. I was too busy being Shinra's lapdog to find someone to share my life and sorrows with. I didn't even have friends. It's not easy going through things like these alone."

Yuffie just looked away from them both and tried her best to not cry. She couldn't bear these two men looking at her with pity too. She had never been prone to tears, except for when Aerith had gone, but now was not the time to start. _"What do you want from me?"_

Reeve wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "If you don't want to return to Wutai, you can stay here. The WRO has given me an apartment here in Edge, brand new, but I prefer the little house I have away from the city. If you'd like, you can stay there as long as you'd like."

Yuffie thought about it for a moment and then nodded with a heavy sigh. _"Okay. Thanks, Reeve."_

The dark gunman looked at the young woman for a long moment and restrained from letting out a heavy sigh. She needed to be under supervision with the way she had been acting during the week in the hospital, if what the nurses said was true. And though he didn't much like the idea of baby-sitting, he would do it. The last thing he wanted was for Yuffie to hurt herself when he could've done something about it. It wasn't like he had anything better to do. "I will stay with you," said Vincent.

The ninja just looked at him and then shrugged. She didn't mind, as long as he kept to himself. Which Vincent always did. Reeve walked her to the nurses station and had her sign the discharge papers as a nurse brought over her pain medications and sleeping pills in case she needed them. She had been having a rough time sleeping the past week, and one of the nurses had discovered it since Yuffie hadn't bothered telling the doctor.

The drive to the apartment Reeve had talked about was a quiet and tense one. Reeve and Vincent didn't know what to say to her, and obviously, Yuffie couldn't snap at them or put them at ease about anything. They stopped at the grocery store momentarily and Reeve got out to buy her food while she settled into the apartment. Vincent sat in the car, not saying anything or looking at her as she sat in the back seat of Reeve's vehicle.

He didn't know what to say to her. He had never really known what to say to her before, when she had always pushed him to talk to her. Now she was the one who would never utter a word to him again. He realized now how much he would miss the sound of her voice. He could only imagine how it felt to her. When Reeve returned, he had about three bags full of things and the drive to the apartment was only a few minutes. Each of them took a bag of groceries and stepped out of the car, looking up at the massive building that had just been built and offered luxurious apartments as well as more economic ones.

"Call me old fashioned, but I prefer to have a house more than an apartment. Still, I get to keep this place and it's only gathering dust, so I hope you feel okay here, Yuffs," said Reeve as they stepped into the lavish apartment and he walked into the kitchen.

Yuffie looked around and sighed. It wasn't exactly what she would've wanted either, because her tastes weren't so classy or expensive, but it would do. She wouldn't be going back to Wutai. The furniture was in a mix of creams and mahogany, and glass tables. The paintings on the wall were abstract images of Midgar and Edge. She checked the rooms and found two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, and a small office with a computer in it, plus many books on a tall bookcase. There was also a terrace in both bedrooms and one by the dining room table.

Reeve walked over to her and gave her the keys and a tight hug. "I'm going to do everything I can to find a way to help you talk again, okay?" he asked. At her nod he smiled and let her go. "Don't let this get you down. You're Yuffie, the sun that kept us all going during troubling times. Don't let this defeat you," he said before saying goodbye to Vincent and walking out of the apartment.

"Are you hungry?" Vincent asked her as he began to set the groceries into their places in the refrigerator and cabinets. Yuffie shook her head. "The nurse at the hospital said that you haven't been eating or sleeping." She shrugged. Vincent walked over to invade her personal space, making her eyes look into his. "You won't be doing that while I am here. Understand?"

Her eyes narrowed and she stared at him stubbornly for a few seconds before looking away and nodding. _"I want pizza."_

Vincent nodded and went to the phone to place an order for the food. Yuffie lay down across one of the biggest sofas and closed her eyes as if to ignore his presence completely. The gunman just sighed and let her be. There was no point in arguing with her now, when everything was so fresh and she was at her most vulnerable.

………

Living with this new Yuffie had been unnerving, Vincent thought as he walked out of his temporary bedroom and towards the kitchen for a glass of orange juice. He stopped when he saw Yuffie sleeping on the couch again. Well, at least she was getting _some _sleep. He had seen her light on a few times since they had moved into the apartment two weeks ago. Usually he knocked her door and asked her to go to sleep; though whether she turned off the light and pretended to do so was another thing.

Their communication had been short, since it seemed that with the loss of her voice, she had lost her will at doing anything. She didn't go out, she didn't interact with him. She did nothing, literally. And he was getting tired of it. Now he was the one getting tired of the one sided conversations. He walked over to her and shook her slightly, coming to a resolution. She started slightly and would've turned away from him, but he held her shoulder and kept her in place.

"Get dressed and eat something. We're going out," he said, watching as her eyes darkened in displeasure. "This is not a request." Their eyes battled for a full minute before she finally stood and walked into her bedroom, slamming the door after her childishly. Vincent let out a sigh and walked back to the kitchen. When had he turned into the one who annoyed someone else?

Twenty minutes later, he was walking Yuffie towards the WRO headquarters, watching her squint at the sun after not being outside in nearly two weeks. She hadn't asked him where they were going, nor had she offered any type of difficulty. That worried him more than her silence. When they arrived at HQ, he took her directly to the shooting range used by all of the soldiers and checked out a hand gun and some ammo.

At that, she gave him a questioning look. Finally a reaction. "You can't sit at home and waste away to nothing. I won't allow it. I decided then, to bring you here and show you how to shoot a gun. And yes, I know that ninjas don't need to learn how to shoot. Still, you need something to occupy your time."

Yuffie shrugged and took the gun when he offered it, contemplating on whether or not she'd be able to escape if she shot him in the foot. Not likely, since there was a possibility that the bullet might bounce off the metal of his boots and hit her back. Besides, Vince was superhuman. He would just heal and then he'd be very angry. She looked at the target, and was barely able to tell where it was. _"This is stupid."_

"Not anymore stupid than laying around all day, doing nothing productive," he replied. He then proceeded to explain how to remove the safety of the gun and how her hands were supposed to be positioned. "Now shoot."

She did and couldn't really tell if the bullets hit the target until the magazine was empty and Vincent pushed a button so that the target could zoom towards them. She rolled her eyes when she saw it. Vincent smirked to himself and pointed at two bullet holes. One was way off and the other one was near the edge of the target.

"_At least one was close," _Yuffie mouthed.

"If we were in trouble and you had to shoot your way out, you'd be dead," he said calmly. "Try again," he said, handing her the magazine and placing a new target up. He showed her how to change the magazine and then pushed her hands a little higher.

Yuffie shook her head in irritation when the target came back much the same as the last one, though this time there were more bullet holes in the thick paper. She gave him a less than amused look, which he chose to ignore. He changed the target again and then gave her another magazine, which she changed herself. She held the gun up again, but this time everything was different. Vincent stood behind her and placed his hands over hers, forcing her stance to change to one similar to his when he was shooting. She was distracted by the feel of his hands on hers, the gloved one and the cool metal of the gauntlet on the other. She was so much smaller than he was, to the point where it felt like a very intimate hug. He was trying to keep his body at a distance from hers, but she shifted slightly and her bottom rubbed against him slightly.

Yuffie closed her eyes and took in slow, calming breaths as he moved her fingers to pull the trigger. The brush of his soft hair against her shoulder made her squirm and she had no doubt that probably all of the bullets would've strayed from the target, even with his help.

Vincent took in the scent of her hair and almost closed his eyes as their arms lowered, but he did not release her. She smelled like lavender and freshness. He let go of her arms and she turned around to look at him, her eyes questioning and slightly confused.

"_Did I get the target?" _she mouthed.

Her companion pressed the button again and took a look at the target. Yuffie turned around and looked it, a small smile on her face when she noticed that more bullets had hit the target and others were still on the paper but way out of place. "Much better," he murmured, taking the gun from her hands and turning to walk away. "That's enough for today," he said, walking off to turn in the weapon and the ammunition that was left.

Yuffie followed him with a frown on her face and tried to shake the feelings that had resurfaced from the hidden place she had kept them. She had always liked Vincent, had always felt that maybe she had been a little bit in love with him as well, but she had shut the feelings away. There had been no time for her to dwell on them and she had known that they would never be reciprocated. She had had a duty to her country, to marry a good man to help her rule once her father stepped down, so feelings for a friend would've led to nowhere. But she was no longer heiress to the Wutai "throne." She wouldn't be marrying for duty anymore. But the question now was, would Vincent ever be able to return her feelings?

Later that evening, they had dinner together, but the silence was tense, no matter that she couldn't do anything but be silent. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes as they ate their food. But she couldn't help but notice how attractive he was without his cape, boots, and gauntlet. He looked… relaxed. Too bad she couldn't enjoy the view for fear of getting caught ogling him.

She pushed around the food on her plate and placed her chin on her knuckles in boredom. She wasn't even remotely hungry anymore, though for the past few days, Vincent had been almost threatening her to eat three meals a day and sometimes a snack. What the hell was he? Her personal nurse? The fork she was holding clattered back onto her plate and she stood, grabbing the dish before walking off towards the kitchen to throw away the remains and place it in the dish washer.

Vincent followed her and did the same. She faintly felt his presence behind her before he was gone. She let out a breath when she heard the front door shut behind him as he left. Yuffie supposed that pressuring her and watching over her 24/7 was a tiring and irritating job. Vincent had signed up willingly, but she knew her attitude had to be aggravating to him. She couldn't help it though.

Losing her voice had been a big blow to her pride, her emotions. She was incapacitated, regardless of what Reeve said to her. No one but he and Vincent could understand her unless she had a pen and paper within reach. That was the main reason why she refused to see the others. Tifa had wanted to be there for her, but for once, Yuffie did not feel the need to be coddled and babied. In her emotional state, she wouldn't be able to handle it.

Maybe time would change her way of thinking, but for now all she needed was time alone. Maybe even some time away from Vincent. She sighed to herself and walked to her room, laying down in the dark, without even bothering to change her clothes. It seemed that with the loss of her voice, she had lost her spark and she doubted anything else would be able to bring it back.

……………

Another two long weeks had trudged by, and to Yuffie's annoyance, Vincent was still hovering, forcing her to live her life when she didn't feel like it. _'All that's left for him to do is force food down my damned throat,' _she thought darkly. She had gone to see the doctor who had operated on her for a follow-up, and again he had told her that they could try a surgery but that there was no guarantee that she would be able to talk. She had just shaken her head and left the office, not even bothering to tell Vincent what the doctor had told her.

A week ago, Shera had given birth to her baby, and surprise surprise, it turned out that the doctor had been wrong about the baby being a girl. Cid was now the proud father of a little boy, who they had named Sean. Cid had left a message in her voicemail to let her know, not even bothering to hide his complete happiness. Though his voice had become more somber when he has asked her to visit them because they all wanted to see her.

So now, Vincent was out once again, probably seeing Reeve because of some mission, and Yuffie was making her way to Tifa's bar, where Cid had told her they would all be visiting that Sunday. Shera had given birth at a hospital, there in Edge and was staying with Tifa and Cloud while she regained her strength enough to go back home.

Yuffie stared up at the sign of Seventh Heaven and let out a deep breath. It was now or never. Now, before Vince realized that she wasn't home and he decided to look for her. She let out a sigh and opened the door, scowling when the bell jingled and the woman at the bar looked at her with a big smile. Tifa walked to her, her stomach bigger than Yuffie remembered, and wrapped her into a hug. Yuffie pushed back her tears and hadn't realized she had missed her friend so much.

"It's great to see you," Tifa said, placing a hand on her belly to soothe the little person kicking her from inside. Yuffie nodded and patted the swell of Tifa's stomach, giving her a questioning look. "The baby is fine. She's growing and healthy, though Cloud has started to doubt our doctor's word when she says it's a girl. We're not picking out anything pink or blue until the baby is born."

Yuffie smiled and grabbed the notepad and pen on the bar counter. **Can I see Shera and the baby?**

Tifa smiled and called Cloud out from the kitchen. "Take over while we go see the baby," she said with a smile. He nodded and kissed her cheek after giving Yuffie a reassuring smile and a soft spoken, "Welcome back."

The ninja followed the brunette up the stairs and led her to one of the guest bedrooms. They knocked and when Shera spoke, they entered. Yuffie smiled when she saw a tightly wrapped bundle in blue on the bed. Shera smiled happily and hugged them both. "Oh, it's so great to see you again Yuffie. Come over to see Sean. Isn't be precious? He looks like Cid!" she said excitedly.

Yuffie would've cackled out loud if she could. She felt sorry for the kid if he looked like his old man. But then she peered down at the baby and felt a smile tugging at her lips. He looked more like Shera than he did Cid, and he was a little blond cutie. She took the borrowed notepad to write something short but meaningful. **Congrats! He's such a cutie, and he doesn't look like Cid!**

Shera giggled and nodded. "Do you want to hold him?"

**What if I drop him?**

"You won't. Just have a seat and hold his head," said Shera as she motioned Yuffie towards a comfortable chair by the window. She picked up the baby easily and then placed him in her hesitant arms. "Babies smell so wonderful, don't they?"

Yuffie smiled and leaned forward to take in Sean's scent. Shera was right. He smelled of baby powder and innocence. Then the boy started to squirm like a little worm in her arms and Yuffie blinked in alarm as he started to make little noises. Then a full blown cry had her panicking. Shera grabbed him again and shook her head.

"Don't worry, he's hungry, so it's normal for him to cry," she said.

Tifa, feeling that Yuffie would be uncomfortable is Shera decided to breastfeed the baby right then, stepped over took the ninja's hand, pulling her to her feet. "Let's give them some privacy. Sean has to breastfeed."

Yuffie nodded quickly and gave Shera a thumbs up before she and Tifa were out the door. Tifa pulled her to the room that had once been Cloud's office and opened the door to usher her in. Yuffie gasped at the complete turn around from the dingy place it had been before. Now it was a full blown nursery, and it was so whimsical and cute, Yuffie was 'awwwing' in her head. **It's so cute!** She wrote down for Tifa.

"Cloud, Denzel, and I have been working on it from the day we found out that I was pregnant. You see the paintings there?" she asked, pointing towards a wall that had various zoo animals beautifully drawn. "Denzel made those."

"_Wow," _Yuffie mouthed, and Tifa understood.

"We went with pastel green and yellow because we didn't know what the baby was at first. Then the doc told us that it was a girl, but we kept the colors this way. Even the clothes are colors that can be worn by either a girl or a boy. Though honestly? I'm rooting for a girl. We'll name her Lilly. Lilly Aerith Strife," she said fondly. "Cloud has already started calling her Lils, for short, though he's still a bit weary about our doctor saying that we're having a girl when it could be a boy."

Yuffie smiled too and took a seat at the couch located at one corner of the room when Tifa motioned over. **Sorry I haven't been much of a good friend to you. Things have been hard on me. Vincent has been on my ass about eating and sleeping and I feel like my life left me when my voice did.**

Tifa looked at her with feeling and nodded. "We understood what you were going through, but we just wanted you to know that you're not alone. We're your family Yuffie, and we love you," she said, a few tears trailing down her cheeks.

Yuffie hugged her and felt a few tears trail down her face as well. **I still need time.** She gave her friend a pleading look.

Tifa nodded. "That's okay, but I want you here when my baby is born. I want you to be her godmother."

**Really?**

"Yes," said Tifa.

Yuffie nodded and smiled wider than she remembered smiling in the past month, not even aware that in the shadows in the hallway, stood Vincent, watching them. Though she did feel that tall-tell sign that someone was watching her as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She turned towards the door and let out an irritated sigh. Did he honestly think that she would purposely get lost in the street? Geez. **I swear, if he doesn't back off I'm going to kick the living crap out of him. I don't need a baby-sitter**, she wrote to Tifa quickly.

The pregnant woman merely raised a brow and shook her head with a smile. "Hello Vincent, how are you?"

"Good," he replied. "I see the child is growing every day," he commented.

Tifa nodded happily and stood with Yuffie's help. "Can you guys stay for dinner? Cid should be here with Barret, Elmyra, and Marlene in just a few minutes anyway."

**Are you sure it's safe for you to cook with that bulge in front of you?**Yuffie wrote with a smile.

Tifa giggled. "It's perfectly okay, though I _have_ been teaching Cloud how to cook and he's not half bad."

**In that case, maybe the vampire and me should go eat some safer food.**

Tifa gave her a mock glare. "You'll stay then? Please? Pretty please?"

Yuffie hung her head and nodded, grinning to herself when Tifa hugged her and walked out of the nursery, leaving her and the tall gunman alone. She gave him a dry look and made her way towards the door without a single explanation as to why she hadn't let him know that she would be there at the bar.

When Yuffie reached the bar again, she was nearly bowled over by Marlene, who latched herself onto her waist and squeezed the breath out of her. The only thing that kept her standing, Yuffie discovered, were gloved hands on her shoulders. She knew those hands, she knew those gloves. But she ignored them and gave Marlene a squeeze as she patted her head. "It's so great to see you again Yuffie!" the girl said with a big smile.

Yuffie made a sign over her heart and nodded as she pointed at Marlene. Then her eyes moved to the two men in front of her and she felt a lash of anger at the look of pity on their faces. To their credit, they didn't offer any words of encouragement, and neither did they ask her how she was holding up. Barret and Cid simply weren't those type of men. And she thanked Leviathan that they didn't tease her either. Cid merely patted her shoulder and told her it was good to see her bratty self again before going off to see his wife and son.

Elmyra hugged her and told her it was good to see her again after such a long time, then she and Barret moved on to Tifa. Marlene squeezed her again before letting her go. "You'll be coming to see us again, right?"

Yuffie looked into those big brown eyes and found herself nodding. The girl smiled in satisfaction and then ran off to latch herself onto Cloud's waist next. The ninja turned to look at the man who had remained at her back like a dark shadow and frowned. _"Please stop hovering," _she mouthed. _"Even though I've lost my voice, I haven't lost my mind. I don't need you to go everywhere with me."_

"I would be inclined to believe that if you didn't need threats to get out of bed or out of the apartment. I have to nearly force you to eat your food. You're acting like a child who needs to be prompted to do everything you had already learned how to do on your own. I will stop hovering when you act like an adult," he said in a low voice before walking away from her.

Yuffie stared after him in shock and huffed to herself. He had the nerve to actually…… well, he _did_ have a point, but she had never asked him to do anything for her! He was being such an ass. He had to understand that losing her voice hadn't been an easy experience for her and she was trying to deal with things as best she could. But she had to admit that his words had hurt the vulnerable part of her and she hated him for it.

During dinner, when Tifa tried to sit her next to him, Yuffie had shaken her head once and Tifa had understood and had sat her on the other end of the table. If Vincent noticed, he showed to sign of it bothering him. But the married brunette did notice that she hardly touched her food and was lost deep in thought. She also noticed that Vincent would dart his eyes to the young woman to see if she was eating whenever he thought no one was looking. Tifa smiled knowingly to herself and rubbed her stomach where her baby was kicking, as if agreeing with her. She felt Cloud place his hand over hers, and she smiled. She had a feeling Vincent and Yuffie would find their way to each other pretty soon.

……

Vincent stood, gazing at the stars from the back porch of Tifa and Cloud's home. The environment inside was warm and suffocating, and he couldn't stand Yuffie's small glares every time their eyes happened to meet. Which had been too many to his liking. He supposed that he _had_ overstepped his boundaries, but that was what he got when he tried to help willingly. Though he shouldn't have been surprised. This was Yuffie, and she was not the most stable of people to begin with. He just didn't know how much more he would be able to take from her.

He felt his eyes slip closed as a cool breeze blew at his hair. He had never been one to give up, but Yuffie was wearing his patience thin, the way only she had ever been able to do. He had realized a few days ago that he hadn't been to Lucrecia's cave in more than a month, ever since Yuffie had been hurt and he didn't know whether to feel guilty or somewhat relieved. His eyes snapped open when a familiar scent drifted to his nose. Sometimes she smelled of lavender and now she smelled of cherry blossoms.

Vincent turned to look at her as she stood at the top of the few stairs, gazing at him. _"I think I owe you an apology," _she mouthed, and though it was dark outside, with his enhanced eyesight, he could still read her lips.

"For what?" he asked, feeling slightly petty and wanting to really know what she was apologizing for.

"_For snapping at you and for being ungrateful. You're taking care of me when you don't have to, and I've been acting like an idiot. I'm sorry. I'm trying to get through this as best I can, but I don't know how."_

She moved towards him and closed the space between them as he watched her with impassive eyes. Then he stiffened slightly when he felt her arms wrap around him and squeeze. She hugged him tightly, and Vincent was forced to either stand there, limp, or return her embrace. Yuffie let out her breath when she felt his arms ease around her shoulders, hugging her to him.

Vincent closed his eyes and savored the feeling of her in his arms. She was so small and soft, and she smelled like a fresh flower. It had been so long since he had held a female this way, and there had been much reluctance on _her_ part. But Yuffie was holding him as if he would disappear if he let her go. There was no reluctance here. He didn't even know what made him tilt her head up so their eyes could meet. Gods, it was like being a teenager all over again. He felt the confusion bubbling in his chest as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers gently.

Yuffie's brain short circuited then, at the taste of his lips and tongue in her mouth. She had gone outside after him in an attempt to make things right between them, and she had never imagined that things would go this way. A kiss from Vincent had always taken place in her fantasies and she had never imagined that it would happen in real life. Oh Leviathan, he was doing something with his tongue and… and she couldn't breathe, but she didn't want to stop him.

Vincent eased his hands up her back and continued to kiss her, feeling her heart beating rapidly against his own, and he didn't want to stop what they were doing. He didn't want to think that what they were doing was wrong, even as one of her hands tangled in his hair and the other dug into his shoulder. He was lost and there was no going back, but for her sake, he would try. He didn't want to hurt Yuffie, but for now, he would give her this.

Nothing would change. Nothing _could _change.

Even with his superhuman senses, he wasn't aware that they were being watched by a smiling bartender, who was hoping that he wouldn't hurt Yuffie anymore than she had already endured. Tifa feared that if anything else went wrong in Yuffie's life, they would lose her sooner or later.

_She keeps her secrets in her eyes  
_

_She wraps the truth inside her lies  
_

_Just when I can't say what she's done to me  
_

_She comes to me and leads me back to paradise _

_She's so hard to hold _

_  
But I can't let go_

…

…

…

…

…

…

In case someone didn't notice, the italics are Yuffie mouthing the words to Vince, and the bold words are her writing. Anyway, how was this first chapter? Any comments and suggestions are great appreciated, as well as criticism, as long as it helps me make things better. I know that a lot is happening, and though I don't know much about a person losing their voice, lets just say that things are believable. Also, I'm debating as to whether I should or shouldn't include a smut scene between our favorite couple in the next chapter, so if you want to see it, let me know, I will let the readers decide whether you want it or not.

Thanks for taking the time to read my fic and have a great week!

Byebye

Joey


	2. Games

Hey, thank you so very much for the positive feedback and for the pointers. All the little mistakes and things, I had seen them as well, because after writing it's easier for me to print out a copy of the chapter and correct it. That's my method, and I like to do it myself. I've gone and fixed the more obvious errors, but I still need to fix other things. I will do the same with this chapter, but bear with me if you find errors, okay? Thanks a bunch!

_Warnings: Adult content towards the end and some language, be warned…_

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters used in this fiction. They are property of Square Enix and I am making no money off of them. Also, I don't own "Helpless When She Smiles," by the Backstreet Boys.

…………………………………………………………

**Helpless When She Smiles**

…………………………………………………………

**Games**

………………………………

"Vincent, welcome," Reeve greeted as the said gunman entered his office and took a seat in front of him.

"Reeve," said Vincent calmly. "What did you need to talk about?"

Reeve let out a heavy sigh. "About Yuffie. How is she doing?"

"As can be expected. If I hadn't decided to stay with her, she would've wasted away to nothing. I don't know what to do to give her back the will to live," Vincent replied with a shake of his head.

The commissioner nodded once and looked sad. "I think I found a way to return her voice, but I don't think it is the best option or the safest."

"What is it?" Vincent asked, not showing his curiosity.

Reeve cleared his throat. "It would have to involve some mako reserves we have. She would basically receive the same treatments you and the SOLDIERS received, and if her body responds to the treatment—or does not withdraw the way Cloud's body did years ago—it should regenerate her vocal chords and heal the damage."

Vincent's eyes were narrowed darkly on Reeve. "There is no way I will allow Yuffie to be experimented on. You don't even know if this will work. Do not give her hope when there is no guarantee that she will get her voice back."

Reeve stared at Vincent's reaction and tried to get his sluggish brain to catch up with the rest of him. "But if she's willing to try—"

"No."

"With all due respect, Vincent, this is _her _decision to make. Or am I missing something? Has she given you the right to decide over her life? Are you two more than friends?" Reeve asked seriously.

Vincent forced down a scowl and shook his head. "We are nothing more than friends," he replied. Though the kissing they had done at Tifa's bar had been far from friendly. But Reeve didn't need to know that. He stood and shook his head. "Find other ways to help her Reeve, do not let her become just another guinea pig for science. If she is hurt because of this treatment, I will hurt you," he said before he walked out the door without another word.

Reeve stared again and found that his brain was now working a mile a minute, the way it usually did when he was inventing new things and dealing with technology. Could it be that… no, Vincent and Yuffie? He chuckled to himself and found the idea farfetched but still very interesting. Was Vincent the only person who couldn't see the way Yuffie looked at him?

……………………

Yuffie stood out in the terrace, watching over the city as it buzzed with life and the sun was high and bright in the sky. The whole kissing episode between her and Vincent had happened just a few days ago, and since then, Vincent hadn't talked to her about it and had kept their contact at a minimum. What was wrong with him? Had she done something wrong?

She scowled to herself and picked up something she hadn't touched in years, from the table next to her. In front of her was a canvas on an easel, and in her hand she held a paintbrush. She hadn't painted since her mother had died, but now she felt the yearning to paint anything. Reeve, being the incredible sweet brother she had never had, had told her that he would buy her anything she needed. All she had to do was give his name at the store, and he would be charged for anything she bought. Though she didn't particularly like the idea of taking advantage of Reeve's kindness, she had no money at the moment. Besides, being a former employee for the WRO, she would receive a pension for being incapacitated pretty soon.

So now, here she was, trying to figure out what to paint. In the end, she decided to try to paint the city in various colors. Time flew by and before she knew it, she had almost completed the painting. Maybe she would go over it with more colors, but for today she was done. Her shirt was splattered in different colors and she was thankful that her short shorts were only her pajama shorts. Her arms were also painted randomly, and underneath the reds and greens and blues, she could still see the scars, white and pale from the years of battles.

It seemed to Yuffie that her life had always revolved around pain and death. Nothing surprised her anymore. But, she thought with a small smirk, she was wrong there. The fact that Vincent had kissed her of his own accord had shocked her. She wondered what was going through his head. What he thought about the kiss they had shared. Was he angry? Did he want to do it again? Or did he consider it a mistake? The last thought made her angry. She'd introduce him to her fist if he thought that they had made a mistake. Nothing so wonderful and good could be a mistake.

She heard the door of the apartment open and Vincent stepped inside. He looked slightly irritated and the fact that she could tell what he was feeling was kind of shocking. She stood there outside and watched him as he came towards her, his eyes moving from her bare feet, up smooth, toned legs, over the swell of her hips, her stomach, her chest. His eyes lingered a little too long and then moved up her neck like a warm caress before they reached her eyes. He smirked slightly at the sight of the colorful smudges of paint on her cheeks and forehead.

"You're outside," he commented. Yuffie smiled and nodded, and Vincent knew that something was terribly wrong with him when he felt his heart quicken at the sight of that smile. Her eyes looked bigger amidst the paint on her face, but it was a picture of innocence on her. _Innocent,_ he reminded himself. She was a child, compared to him and he had no right to… to ruin her.

"_I felt like painting and Reeve was a big dummy when he said that I could get what I wanted and he would pay for it," _she mouthed with a mischievous look on her face.

Vincent let out a small chuckle and looked at her painting, feeling his eyebrows rise in amazement. "It is very remarkable. I did not know that you could paint."

Yuffie waited for his eyes to meet hers in order to reply. _"I haven't painted since my mom died. But today, I felt like something was urging me to use a brush and paint. Maybe it's my mother's spirit or something." _She gave him a crooked smile and turned back to her work of art. She pointed towards a red and purple blur located by the mountains. She turned to him. _"That's you and me."_

Vincent moved closer and looked. Though the blurs had no real shape, he would've been able to tell that it was them either way. Besides, the rest of the populace of the Edge she had painted were also blurs, and he may have spotted a particular blur of yellow and one of brown by a building that looked like Tifa's bar. He looked at Yuffie and saw that she was giving him an expectant look. "It's… very nice. I like it."

"_When I'm done, you can put it in your room," _she mouthed, smiling and looking like the amazingly bubbly girl she had been before the attack.

"Thank you," he replied, smiling slightly before turning to go.

Yuffie grabbed his forearm gently and stopped him before turning him around to meet her eyes again. She stared into those crimson colored orbs and felt her heart skip a beat. There were no words as he leaned forward, much the same way he had done just a few days ago. Though this time there was a slight hesitation as he cupped her face with his gloved hand and rubbed a navy blue painted cheek.

He knew he had to stop this before it got out of hand and before Yuffie was hurt, but Vincent couldn't deny that he enjoyed the taste of her, and the way her lips trembled against his. She was an amazing human being, and just the thought of her feeling something for him—other than love for a friend—made him feel more human than he had in a long time.

Then their lips met with a soft sort of urgency his thoughts short circuited in his head. His hands moved from her face to her hair, feeling her hands grip his forearms tightly. He didn't want to end the kiss, the feel of her against him, in his arms, but this couldn't be. He broke the kiss, their breathing heavy and uneven. Yuffie stared at him with those amazing eyes again and he found himself closing the distance… but he stopped and moved back.

"Yuffie… we can't," he said softly, reluctantly. "I don't want to hurt you. This can't go on. I don't deserve someone like you and you need someone who will love all of you and who has a clean past and a normal life."

Yuffie continued to stare at him with solemn eyes, but offered no comment. She let out a heavy sigh and then nodded once before walking back into the apartment, her back straight and her eyes blank.

Vincent let out a heavy sigh and shook his head to himself and felt his chest throb with a hint of pain. He didn't want to hurt her, but they had to remain at a distance.

In her room, Yuffie let the tears come with her back pressed to the door. Stupid Vincent and his stupid sense of honor. God, she hated her life. So much for introducing him to her fist. She hadn't even been able to say anything articulate to him. But then again, she had never been able to say anything smart when she was around Vincent. He had that effect on her. Still, to have a taste of him and then nothing…… more tears fell and she allowed herself the luxury of crying the way she hadn't cried since that day at the hospital.

She heard the front door open and then close and knew that Vincent was gone. Probably to see _what's-her-face_. The thought made something in her heart die and she pushed away from the door and towards the shower to get cleaned up. She couldn't be here anymore, wondering if he was with her, confessing his undying love for a woman who had never loved him in the first place. After a few minutes of furious scrubbing, she was clean and smelled like lavender again. She pulled on one of her preferred outfits—which usually left _very_ little to the imagination—and she made her way to Tifa's bar.

On her way she passed a little store that looked as if it had just opened and held products for babies. She took a look inside and smiled when she spotted the most adorable little outfit made of a pale blue with a hood that had little bear ears on it. Though pastel pinks, yellows, and greens were used for girls, Yuffie had always thought that blue could be used as well. Besides, there was no rule that a girl couldn't use clothes that were blue. She grabbed the outfit and made her way to the woman at the counter. After making hand movements in order to borrow a pen and paper, she had the woman wrap the outfit in a little gift box.

Yuffie paid with the gil she had _borrowed_ from Vincent. She'd pay him back with her first check. She walked out of the store and continued to make her way to Tifa's place again. When she arrived, she spotted Denzel sitting at the bar, watching as Cloud tried to make the drinks that Tifa usually made. She smirked to herself and sat down next to the boy.

He looked at her and smiled. "Hey Yuffie, what are you doing here?" Yuffie used her hands to pantomime a round stomach in front of her. Cloud smirked and pointed up the stairs. "She woke up with a case of mild morning sickness. She can't take the scent of alcohol this week either."

Yuffie smiled and rubbed Denzel's hair before the boy could duck or move out of her reach. She stood and was about to go up the stairs when the door of the bar opened again and she came face to face with two Turks who had been coming by more often than before.

Reno gave her a wink and sauntered over to her as Rude took the seat Yuffie had just occupied. He smiled, trying for charming and only accomplishing devious. "Hello there, white rose," he said, sliding an arm around her shoulders. Yuffie gave him a dry look and moved away. "I heard about what happened," he started quietly, eying the scar on her throat subtly. "It's good to see you up and about."

"_Thanks,"_ she mouthed, feeling slightly better than her last episode with Vincent. Reno was being a decent human being for once.

"No thanks needed," he replied, confirming to Yuffie that he also knew how to read lips. "I wanted to send you flowers or something, but Tuesti said that you weren't receiving anything, not even friends."

Yuffie shrugged. _"How would you have reacted to losing your way of communicating with people?"_

Reno smirked, his greenish eyes glittering slightly. "I'd be hanging with my best friend, booze. But you're dealing with this good, great ninja Yuffie. How about I take you out one of these days? Hmmm? Dinner, maybe a movie at that new place downtown?"

"_You're asking me out on a date?"_ she mouthed with a raised eyebrow.

The Turk shrugged. "If you'd like to call it a date. You need to get out, have some fun. I hear you're living with Valentine. Not much fun there. Am I wrong?" At her noncommittal shrug, he smiled. "How about it? You know you want to," he said in a taunting tone. Yuffie smiled faintly and was about to reply when they were interrupted.

"Yuffie?" Tifa asked from the top of the stairs. The ninja and the Turk looked up and Yuffie offered a small smile.

She turned to Reno and shook her head. _"I'll think about it, but that doesn't mean I'll accept."_

"I'm not a patient man. Don't keep me waiting too long," he said before giving her another wink and making his way towards the counter where Rude was sitting.

Yuffie hid a smile and made her way towards Tifa, who looked slightly green in the face. She was rubbing her stomach and trying to look cheerful, but she wasn't really accomplishing it. "What brings you here?" Tifa asked as she led Yuffie to the living room.

Yuffie grabbed a notepad and pen from nearby and sat next to Tifa. **I got something for my little goddaughter.**

"Really?" Tifa asked with a big smile.

The ninja nodded and handed over the gift, feeling her heart warm when Tifa's eyes shone with delight. She opened the gift and made various cooing noises and fussed over the little outfit. "It's beautiful!" she said finally, pulling Yuffie into a hug.

**I'm glad you like it. I think blue can be used for girls too, so I had to bring it to you, **Yuffie wrote quickly.

"Well, I'm sure Cloud will love it too. I think he's still hoping we'll have a girl, but my maternal instinct tells me that we _are_ having a girl." Tifa gave Yuffie a close inspection and noticed the way her eyes looked so sad, despite having a small smile on her face. "Are you okay? Is something the matter?"

**Am I that easy to read? I guess I've lost my ninja touch.**

"You're eyes, Yuffie. I can see that you're sad. Is it about the loss of your voice, or about Vincent?" Tifa asked bluntly, watching as Yuffie looked at her with wide eyes. "I know, Yuffie, it's not like it's hard to see. You've been in love with him since you met him, but through the years, you've calmed down and matured so very much. He cares for you too, you know. I've seen the way he looks at you. If someone were watching closely, they would see that he feels something for you too."

Yuffie shook her head and wrote as quickly as possible. **I thought that those feelings had died a while ago, or at least had dwindled down to a little crush again. But then he started to take care of me, and then there's all the kissing. I don't know what to think anymore. He tells me that he doesn't want to hurt me because he cares about me. He put a stop to us before we even began.**

"But he's been kissing you willingly, right?" Tifa murmured. Yuffie nodded. "He must feel something for you too, if he's moved past his issues with physical contact."

**But he still loves Lucrecia. I don't think he'll ever stop.**

"Then maybe it's up to you to show him how to love you," the brunette replied.

Yuffie sighed heavily. **I don't think he wants me to.**

"Why don't you ask him?"

**I'm scared that I'm probably right. You know, Reno asked me out. **She wrote, changing the subject quickly.

Tifa grinned. "Reno is cute. Did you say yes?" The ninja shook her head. "Why not? Maybe Vincent will get jealous."

**That'll happen when pigs fly.**

Her friend chuckled. "It wouldn't hurt, right? And on the plus side, you'd be broadening your horizons and what not. I bet Reno is a fun guy to hang with… well, putting aside the drinking and the cheesy pick-up lines."

Yuffie would've laughed out loud, but she only grinned and shook her head. **I don't know. I told him I would think about it. But, maybe I'll consider it.**

"You do that. Do you think you can watch over Denz tomorrow? I have my regular check-up with the doctor and Cloud doesn't want to miss it. Denzel has a week of vacation, and he gets so bored at the check-ups when he goes with us. You think you can handle him for a while?"

**Sure. What about the bar?**

"We're closing it for the day. We'll probably be gone for two hours, three at the most," said Tifa.

**Okay, I can stay. But right now I should go. Though he refuses to have a relationship with me, Vincent is very irritating when he hovers. I want to walk a while by myself. What time do you need me here tomorrow?**

"At ten in the morning. The appointment is at ten-thirty. Thanks, Yuffie, and I'll talk to Denzel about behaving for you."

**I'll see you tomorrow then. Do me a favor and throw this piece of paper away? The last thing I want is for Cloud or the kids to get a hold of it and show it to Cid or someone else.**

"Don't worry about it, Yuffie. Cloud has a paper shredder in his new office. Just help me up and I'll get rid of it," she said, taking Yuffie's hand and getting off of the comfortable couch. "Ugh, hauling around a six pound baby plus all the other additions is a real drag. I feel like a house."

Yuffie smiled and patted her stomach, where the little passenger inside was kicking gleefully. She then gave Tifa a hug before waving and leaving. Cloud and Denzel were still at the counter, playing old maid or some similar card game, and she waved at them too before she left the bar. Her walk back to the apartment was slow, and for the first time in a long time, Yuffie found herself enjoying the bright sun on her face.

When she arrived at the apartment she shared with Vincent, he was sitting in the living room, cleaning the Cerberus and watching the local news. She didn't even spare him a glance as she walked past him and into her room.

Vincent watched her go and felt a pang in his gut at the fact that she was angry with him. He supposed she had a right to be. He hadn't exactly been fair to her and he hadn't really taken into consideration what she had thought about the kissing that had been going on. She was young and her infatuation with him would die as soon as she found true love. As soon as she found someone who deserved her and would make her far happier than he ever could.

…………

Yuffie watched Denzel as he drew with his drawing pencils. The kid had some major talent and would be a great artist some day. Cloud and Tifa would be coming home soon, and her time with Denzel had been peaceful. He had told her that he had wanted a little brother, because he had had a little sister already and she had been annoying with all of her tea parties and stuffed animal parades. But he was still happy now that he, Cloud, and Tifa were a real family with a new baby on the way.

She was sipping coffee and trying very hard not to think of Vincent. Of the way he looked without his cape, or when he was deep in thought, or how he looked after he came out of the shower and he was dressed in a black t-shirt and silk pajama pants. Yuffie slapped her forehead and sighed heavily, ignoring the weird look Denzel was giving her.

She was seriously starting to think of taking up Reno's offer for a date. Vincent was unattainable and she would die a lonely death if she didn't stop pining over him. There was a knock at the bar door and Yuffie spotted a familiar hairdo and strange blue clothes. She walked over and opened the door to let Reeve into the bar.

"Hey guys, how are you?" Reeve asked with a big smile.

"Fine," said Denzel as Yuffie gave a thumbs-up.

"Hey kiddo, will you give Yuffie and me a few minutes alone? I need to discuss something with her. Go watch a movie or something," Reeve said.

"Okay," said Denzel. "I just got a new movie about shape shifting robots. Cloud wanted to watch it too, but he can see it later," said the boy before collecting his things and walking out of the bar and towards the living room.

"_What did you want to talk about?" _Yuffie mouthed.

"About…" he hesitated and swallowed. "About a possible way to return your voice."

Yuffie felt her heart soar at his words. _"How?"_

"Honestly, it's not a treatment I would recommend, because it's dangerous. But maybe you want to try it. This would involve some mako treatments. Basically, the treatment SOLDIER's received back when Shinra had its scientists experimenting and trying to make their super soldiers. The scientists of the WRO would develop some sort of treatment for you and they won't use as much as was used on the men back then. Still, if your body doesn't react well with mako, it can be dangerous and there's a big risk of you getting poisoned the same way that happened to Cloud years ago."

Yuffie sighed heavily. _"Will it work?"_

"There's a fifty-fifty chance. But… there's really no guarantee that it will work. That's why Vincent didn't want me to tell you," he muttered. He froze when he realized he had said it out loud and Yuffie's eyes were narrowing dangerously.

"_When did you tell Vincent about this?"_

"Yesterday. He was very vehement about me not telling you any of this," said Reeve quietly. "I understand that he's worried about your health and your safety, but I really think that this is your decision," said Reeve with a reassuring smile. "Just… don't rush into this decision, Yuffie. Take the time to think about the consequences, and the fact that this may not work."

Yuffie just nodded, even though she was stewing in her anger towards Vincent. How dare he? How dare he order Reeve not to tell her about this possible treatment to get her voice back. Though she wasn't really thrilled about getting mako treatment, she would be willing to consider it. Besides, this was her life, and before she had been _maimed_—though that word was a bit exaggerated—she had been the head of the Intelligence department for the WRO. She wanted to go back to that, to get away from Vincent. Oh, she and Vincent would have a few words when she went back to the apartment.

"_Will you give me a ride back to the apartment when Cloud and Tifa get back?" _she asked Reeve.

He nodded hesitantly when he saw the fire in her eyes. Great, now she and Vincent would probably have some type of argument which would be his fault completely. He should've really kept his trap shut.

About five minutes later, Tifa walked into the empty bar with a disgruntled looking Cloud behind her. "What's going on?" Reeve asked.

Tifa smirked. "It appears that Cloud has morning sickness. He almost threw up in the car when I was eating a pickle."

"Ugh," Cloud moaned before walking off to get a glass of water for them both.

"Thanks a bunch, Yuffie. Did Denzel behave himself?"

Yuffie smiled slightly and she nodded. Then she turned to Reeve and motioned for the door after waiving to the couple. Reeve gave her a side glance as he drove towards the apartment. "Are you going to make this into a big deal when it's not?" he asked her. Yuffie shook her head but offered no other response. "For what it's worth, I think he cares about you and he doesn't want you to go the same way Lucrecia did with the experiments." He stopped the car in front of the building.

"_This is my life," _Yuffie mouthed furiously. _"I have a right to decide what I want to do with it. He doesn't. Besides, this isn't an experiment to further science, it's to try to give me my voice back."_

Reeve sighed heavily. "Just… don't say something you'll regret, okay?"

Yuffie nodded once and opened the door before turning to him. _"Thanks for bringing me, and I'll think about the whole treatment thing. Do me a favor and find out if I stand anymore chance with getting my voice back this way than if I get a surgery done, will you?"_

"Sure thing kid. I'm looking for various ways to help you out here; hopefully I will find something better soon," he said before she stepped out of the car and closed the door.

Yuffie made her way up to the apartment and hoped fervently that he was there. She had noticed since they had moved in together, that a few times a week he disappeared. He didn't see Reeve, so Yuffie had come to suspect that he still spent time with Lucrecia in that cave on random days. Lucky for her, today was not that day, and he was standing outside, looking out into the city.

She slammed the door shut and noticed his face move to the side, but he didn't turn. She walked over to him and forcefully turned him around, catching the slight narrowing of his eyes as he looked down at her hand. She pointed to her face so that he looked at her in the eyes. Then she asked, _"Who the hell do you think you are?"_

Vincent raised an eyebrow at her and wondered what she was referring to. She looked angry enough to try to physically hurt him, but he wanted to know why. She pursed her lips in fury. _"I spoke to Reeve today and he told me about the treatment. He also accidentally spilled that you didn't want me to know about this. Who the hell do you think you are? You had no right to make that decision."_

He glared at her. "I told him that I did not want him to give you false hopes. I believed we were friends, and that is why I took the liberty of telling Reeve that it was best not to tell you," he said calmly.

"_We may be friends, but that still gives you no right. Even if we were more than friends, the decision is mine to make. You want nothing to do with me, so keep your damned opinions to yourself." _Yuffie poked him roughly in the chest.

Vincent grabbed her wrist and held it between them as they glared at each other. "You can't seriously be considering the mako treatment," he said quietly.

"_Why not?"_

"Reeve said that it may not work. You're risking getting poisoned or hurt in some other way."

"_You mean it'll hurt more than your rejection?" _she asked, eyes looking slightly glassy and incredibly sad.

Vincent felt his heart echo that sadness and his fingers brushed over her cheek. Why couldn't she just understand? "Yuffie…"

"_Don't," _she mouthed, pulling away from him before she stormed out of the apartment.

He watched her go once again and tried to find a way to make things up to her. He didn't want to be the cause of Yuffie's sadness, but she was asking for too much from him. She was asking for something he didn't even know he could still do. His heart had died with Lucrecia. But, the look in her eyes. He realized now that he was willing to do anything to erase that sadness from her eyes. He missed her smile. He missed the sparkle in her eyes she had always had just for him. He just had to think of a way that they could both get through this.

…………

Yuffie had forgotten how good it felt to beat the pulp out of another person. After her argument with Vincent, she had walked to the WRO and had found a group of soldiers training in hand to hand combat while she waited for Reeve to finish up a meeting he was in. She had asked to train with the soldiers and their commander had happily complied. He knew that she was an accomplished ninja, even though she hadn't been in the field for a while, and was eager to see if his men would hold out against the tiny warrior.

The first five had gone down quite easily, and had been ordered by their commander to step off the mat. Now she was up against the last five, and three were down. Yuffie slowed her breathing and lowered into a stance she hadn't used since the incident in Wutai. The two men launched forward and she sidestepped them easily, sending a knee into the gut of one, while she used her leg to trip the other. They didn't go down easily, and she did a back flip to avoid their fists and kicks.

She grabbed the wrist of one and ran her knee into his ribs before slamming her elbow into his back as he doubled over. He went down and his commander called him off the mat. The next one caught her off guard and kicked her legs out from under her. Before she hit the floor, she regained her balance and kicked both her legs into his chest, throwing him back and off of the mat.

Yuffie felt the air shift behind her and she turned, her fist swinging at the person behind her, but a golden gauntlet caught it easily. She looked up into the red red eyes of Vincent and tore her hand out of his grip, causing the tips of the gauntlet to leave red welts over her knuckles.

"Very impressive, Miss Kisaragi. My men went down quite easily, which means that they need more rigorous training. You are an amazing fighter," he said, shaking her hand before he ordered his troop out of the training room.

She just nodded in thanks and moved away from Vincent and towards trash bin located in the room. She had bruised the knuckles of her other hand in her fight with the first group of men and had wrapped a long piece of gauze over her hand. She threw the discarded material into the bin and turned to look at Vincent in annoyance.

Despite the fact that she was giving him an annoyed look, Vincent had to admit that she was a real sight with her cheeks flushed red with her exertion and her hair sticking up in odd places. She was beautiful in the aftermath of her fight. _"What do you want?"_

He eyed her seriously and stepped towards her, watching as she swallowed quickly and looked at him in slight alarm. "I don't want you to be angry with me," he said in a low tone.

Yuffie shrugged and turned to walk away, brushing past his cloak. She didn't get far because she suddenly found herself facing him after he had grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. Then he was kissing her as if she were water and he a man dying of thirst. At first she was too shocked to respond, but his fingers let go of her wrist and touched at her cheek gently, reminding Yuffie that she wasn't daydreaming or fantasizing about having him. She whimpered as his tongue moved over her lips and against her own. What the hell was he playing at?

There was the sound of a throat clearing and they both moved away from each other in embarrassment as they spotted Reeve by the door. "This is… interesting," he said in amusement. Yuffie glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. He shrugged. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Yuffie turned away from Vincent so that he wouldn't be able to read her lips. Before coming over to beat the daylights out of the WRO soldiers, she had run into Reno once again. He has asked her out again and she had accepted as a petty way of getting back at Vincent. Tifa had been right. She needed to have fun and forget about the vampire look alike. And Reno _was _cute; Tifa was right about that too. She vaguely wondered what Cloud would think of Tifa finding Reno cute. She needed a way to get her words across to Reno without other people being able to read her lips, and also for when she needed to communicate with those who couldn't read lips, like Tifa. Also, that would cut short the time she used to write everything down.

"_I wanted to know if you could make me some type of mini computer or phone with a keyboard that I can use to send messages to people instead of writing things down. I didn't even remember my old phone, though I think it was destroyed in the battle in Wutai. I need it now because I have a date with Reno."_

"A date with Reno?!" Reeve exclaimed.

Yuffie shut her eyes and pressed her lips into a tight line. What was wrong with the man that he couldn't keep his damned mouth shut? She nodded and fisted her hands when Vincent turned her to face him.

"You're… going out with… _Reno_?" he asked her slowly.

She nodded once. _"You didn't want me. So I have to find someone who does."_ She turned back to Reeve with a questioning look, trying to ignore the strange look in Vincent's eyes. _"Can you do it please?" _

Reeve nodded once. "I'll have it done by tomorrow. When are you going with…?"

"_This Saturday. Thanks a bunch Reeve," _she mouthed before walking out of the training room and towards the exit. She wanted to get home and away from Vincent and the bad habit he had of kissing her at random moments.

……………

Vincent couldn't describe the gnawing sensation in his gut he had been feeling for the past few hours since Yuffie had left the apartment wearing one of her more unused outfits for her date with Reno. _Date. _The word made him scowl slightly and he stood to pace, trying to get out of his mind the sight of Yuffie's bare waist and smooth legs. She had looked…… she was no longer the child he had met all those years ago. She was a woman. She looked like a woman, and tasted like a woman, and felt like a woman…

He shook his head and walked to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine. He asked himself what the hell it was that he was feeling if he had told Yuffie that he would never be able to feel anything again. Just the thought of Reno touching her made something in his gut twist in anger. He had never been one to give into jealousy, not even when he had seen Lucrecia with Hojo; there had been anger and a faint feeling of betrayal, yes, but that was it.

He vaguely wondered what that meant, the fact that he was jealous at the thought of another man touching Yuffie, kissing her the way he had kissed her… he snarled to himself. There was no use in thinking about what she was doing with Reno, or what he was doing _to _her at the moment.

…

"I had fun with you tonight, despite the fact that we were texting each other the entire night," said Reno as he walked her to the door of the apartment.

Yuffie nodded and smiled. _"So did I. I never knew you could be such a complex human being with political views," _she mouthed. Hmm, she had never imagined that she would be using those words to describe Reno either. He had taken her to a small restaurant that served all types of foods, and then they had gone to see a movie about a warrior, fighting for his country with a shield and sword. Reno had actually been a perfect gentleman all evening.

"We should do this again some time," he said slyly, leaning towards her.

Despite the fact that she really wanted to shove him away from her, Yuffie allowed the Turk to kiss her, just to see if he caused any type of reaction in her. His kiss was gentle and sweet, so at odds from what she had been expecting from a guy with Reno's reputation, but it didn't make her shiver, or sent a spike of desire down to her toes the way Vincent's kiss could do with a minimum brush. Damn it, Vincent had ruined her for any other men.

Yuffie stepped back and gave him an apologetic smile. _"I think it's better for us to stay friends Reno. I'm not really looking for something serious now."_

"It doesn't have to be serious if you don't want it to be. We can just… get together a few times a month to… alleviate stress," he said with meaning.

She shook her head once. _"Thanks for the offer, but I don't need it right now. Thank you again, Reno. You're a sweet guy, and once you show that to other women, you'll find one who will deserve you."_

Reno smirked and pecked her cheek. "Thanks, white rose. If you ever change your mind, let me know, okay?"

Yuffie nodded and waved at him as he began to walk towards the elevator. She unlocked the door and entered the dark apartment, taking in the dark clouds and the distant sound of thunder. As she made her way towards her room, she spotted Vincent outside in the terrace again, a glass of wine in his hand as he looked up at the dark sky. She let out a deep sigh and left him alone. But it appeared that he did not want to be left alone, for once.

"You had fun with Reno?" he questioned from her doorway.

Yuffie had forgotten how fast he could be when he wanted to. She turned on the lamp by her bed and shrugged. _"I did," _she replied simply. She watched him closely, noticing the way his eyes were narrowed and he had an angry air about him. _"Is there something that you want?"_ she asked him in irritation. She was tired and she wanted to change out of her clothes and into her favorite flannel pajamas.

"Does he want you? Do you want him?"

"_I don't think that's any of your business. Just because you kiss me whenever the hell you want doesn't really give you any right to pry into my life. You said it yourself, you don't want me, why do you care if I want Reno? Or if he wants to kiss me?" _she asked, watching his eyebrow twitch at her words.

"I wasn't aware of the fact that just about anybody could kiss you," he said dryly.

Yuffie stared at him incredulously. What the fu—was he implying that she was easy? _"What the fuck is that supposed to me?" _she asked as she stepped over to him and nearly slapped him. The look in his eyes stopped her. _"No. You don't get to act like the jealous ex-boyfriend because you rejected me. Don't be and asshole when you brought this on yourself,"_ she mouthed furiously.

"So it's my fault that you went out with Reno?" he made a vague grunting sound. "Please, I didn't know you were so desperate for attention."

Okay, that comment hurt. Yuffie pushed down the sudden prickle of tears and just tried to calm herself before she did something stupid. No, she just couldn't stand there and look at him for another minute. Not unless she wanted him to see her cry. Why the hell was he being so hostile to her? Vincent had never lowered himself to act this way since the day she had met him. He wasn't a petty man, and he didn't insult anyone. She shoved past him and stormed out of the apartment, leaving the door wide open in her escape.

Vincent watched her go and couldn't believe that he had just said those things to her. Damn it, liquor didn't usually make him do stupid things, and neither did it last very long in his system, but he realized that he had had a few too many bottles before Yuffie had arrived from her date with the Turk. He rushed to the door to go after her, but she was already inside of the elevator when he caught sight of her, and no matter how fast he ran towards her, he didn't reach her in time. All he caught sight of were the tears falling freely from her hurt brown eyes.

He took the stairs as quickly as he could, jumping many at a time to get down to the lobby before she did, or at least at the same time as she did. They were currently living on the very last floor of a fifteen floor building, so he had many stairs to jump. Once he reached the lowest level, he raced through the lobby and caught sight of her outside, in the rain that had just started. She was in the middle of crossing the street when he caught up to her and turned her around. Her eyes were red and angry, but he was distracted when her fist rammed into his jaw.

"……I'm sorry," he said quickly, not bothering to reprimand her for hitting him. He deserved it. He deserved more, but he left it at that. "I… I didn't mean any of the things I said to you. Please, come back to the apartment. I don't want you to get sick over what I said."

She glared at him mutinously, but allowed him to lead her back into the building and towards the elevator as the man at the security desk watched them in curiosity. She was silent and shivering, and still she refused to acknowledge him any further.

"Yuffie," he started, but then the elevator reached their floor and she was out without giving him the chance to say anything else. The apartment was warm, due to the automatic climate control. Since the temperature had dropped due to the rain, the system automatically heated the entire place. Still, her clothes were damp and cool on her skin, and she was angry.

"You should remove your clothes," he told her as he walked off to get her a towel and to see if she had a robe in her room.

Yuffie scowled to herself before an idea occurred to her. Farfetched as it was, it wouldn't hurt and it couldn't damage her pride anymore. She was curious if he would go for it, so standing there, in the middle of the living room, she began to remove every article of clothing she was wearing. The lights were off, except for the lightning coming from outside every few minutes. She stood there in the nude and waited for Vincent to return.

When he did, he froze and nearly dropped the robe in his hands. His eyes swept over every inch of her before settling on her feet and walking towards her with the robe in his hand. He wrapped it around her and averted his eyes when she looked up at him. Her eyes were slightly wide as she looked at him, her hands stopping his as he tied the knot around her waist.

"What are you doing?" he murmured when she used his hands to undo the half-tie and then part the robe. Her fingers were cold against his and so was the skin at her flat stomach where she placed his hands. "Yuffie… we can't."

Before he could protest anymore, her hands slid up to his neck and she pulled him down into a kiss. Any further objection died in his throat as her tongue slid into his mouth slowly, tasting and tantalizing. This was wrong, even more wrong than all the kissing, but he couldn't stop her. He couldn't bring his body to cooperate with his mind as his hands slid over her bare flesh.

This wasn't a new experience to Yuffie, or at least it was because Vincent was an entity of his own, but she had been with a boy once, when she had been sixteen, and since then she hadn't let anyone touch her the way Vincent was touching her. Maybe subconsciously, she had been saving herself for him from the moment they had met. Maybe some part of her had been harboring the hope that Vincent would be the one and only man to ever do this to her again. And her heart skipped a beat when she realized that he was pushing her away, or trying to tell her that this was a mistake.

She was distinctly aware of the fact that they were now in his room, and that she was fumbling with the buckles of his cloak and his clothes, trying to get them off with cold, trembling fingers. His flesh was just as cold as hers, but it flushed with heat when they pressed together, naked and frantic to touch each other.

He kissed every inch of her, and Yuffie felt as if her heart would stop if he didn't continue to touch her. She quivered with the need for release, and then, then he was inside her, and her mouth opened in a quite literal silent scream. He was so very warm now against her, and her nails were digging into his shoulders as the pleasure skyrocketed. She was where she needed to be, and at the moment, nothing else mattered.

Vincent pressed his face into her neck and tried to hold in the grunts of pleasure at the feel of her, so warm and tight around him. It had been so long since he had felt this. But the experience couldn't compare with any other and he couldn't quite place why. She choked back a gasp and he raised his face to look at her as he felt her reach her release. She was beautiful with her cheeks flushed and a light sheen of perspiration over her smooth face. He kissed her then, slow and sinuous as his hips kept up the smooth pace, quickening by the second as he felt his own release approach. Then he was there, buried hilt deep inside her as his body jerked in satisfaction, and her arms were around him as she arched in pleasure again, and he was trying to control his breathing as she panted and blinked sleepily.

He kissed her again, his own eyes heavy as he watched her breath hitch even as she fell into a deep slumber, not minding that their bodies were still so intimately connected. Vincent swallowed hard and watched her as slept. What had he just gotten himself into?

………………

_I'm a house of cards in a hurricane_

_A reckless ride in the pouring rain_

_She cuts me and the pain is all I want to feel_

_She tears away just like a child_

_She drives me crazy, drives me wild_

_But I'm helpless when she smiles_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Hehe, how was that for everyone? Did you like? Was it too over the top? Too fast? I honestly thought it worked, and in order for my mini-plot to work out, this had to happen this chapter. Anyway, thank you so very much for the reviews last chapter, I hadn't thought that I would get such great comments. Two people commented that it's like "Sunshine in Winter," and I went over to check it out. I'm only to chapter four right now and I think it's an amazing story, but much different than mine. I hadn't even heard of it until you guys told me.

So, what do you think Vince's reacting is going to be the morning after? I can't tell, but I will say that we haven't seen the last of Reno. I also hope that it wasn't too OOC. Also, I expanded slightly and I will make this a four chapter story, unless I can't cram all my ideas into it, then I'll make it five. I hope everyone enjoyed, and if you didn't, I'm sorry. Comments are greatly appreciated and they feed my inspiration as well as my ego. Thanks for taking the time to read and I'll correct the errors later!

Joey


	3. White Rose

I had this chapter ready about two days ago, but the website was acting up and wouldn't let me post. Anyway, here it is finally!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own FFVII or any of the characters used in this fic. I am making no money off of them.

**Warnings:** Adult situation here at the beginning, don't read if you don't like, or if you can get in trouble!

…………………………………………………………

**Helpless When She Smiles**

…………………………………………………………

**White Rose**

………………………………

She'd been asleep for only four hours before she awoke and couldn't go back to get more of her much needed beauty rest. Yuffie realized that some part of her had realized that this could be the first and last time she would ever feel Vincent's arms around her the way they were now. The room was warm and the sheets were trapped under Vincent's arm, which was currently around her waist. She felt strange, sleeping in the nude, but she couldn't help but admit that feeling his bare skin against hers was wonderful.

She was still tired, but sleep kept evading her as she stared into the darkness. Though in any other type of situation she would've been scheming in her head about what it meant that she and Vincent had been intimate, this time, her brain had gone towards a very different direction. She made a small humming noise. Maybe that meant that she was finally growing up, for a few months ago, she wouldn't have even contemplated those ideas. She was thinking that though she was probably in love with Vincent and would be for a long time, he was right. They weren't meant to be, and he had no desire to actually try to be with her. Sure, he had acted all jealous and weird the night before, but she had come to the conclusion that maybe he had been slightly inebriated, since she had tasted wine on his lips. Vincent had never resorted to petty words, and showing any type of emotion.

She winced. Had she taken advantage of him while his brain had been addled? No, Vince was a big boy and capable of making his own decisions. Now, she could admit that she had manipulated the situation by standing naked in front of him, but the end results had been so completely worth it. Her breathing quickened slightly at the memory of his body against hers, his lips on her, his hands touching her anywhere and everywhere.

Yuffie shifted in his embrace and turned to face him. His arm tightened around her subconsciously and she smiled to herself as she pressed her nose to his collarbone. Her eyes narrowed in thought as she wondered if she would be able to get him to make love to her again. Just one last time and she would leave him alone to brood over his _precious_ Lucrecia and over the fact that he had "tainted" Yuffie with his touch. Besides, she wouldn't feel like she had taken advantage of the fact that he had been drinking.

She ran her hands down his chest, feeling the finely defined muscles of his chest and stomach, feeling him twitch under her touch. She had pegged him as a very light sleeper and had seen his sleeping pattern during their quest against Sephiroth. Little things had always woken him easily, but she assumed that Vincent hadn't been intimate with anyone in a very long time so that probably meant that he was sleeping off the activities of last night in a deep and peaceful slumber.

As her hand neared his lower abdomen, he woke with a start, his right hand gripping her wrist tightly. "…Yuffie," he said, voice deeper with the vestiges of sleep.

She looked up into his slightly narrowed eyes and used her other hand to wrap around him, feeling delight wash over her when she was encountered with the fact that he was more than happy to be there, pressed against her. She couldn't reply to him in the darkness; dawn was barely approaching, but the sun wouldn't be out for another hour. So she tightened her hand instead, relishing in the choked groan that reached her ears. She may not have been a master at what they were doing, but she had learned a few things over the years from different women and how they drove their men crazy.

Vincent blinked at her in the darkness and tried to get his body back under his control. As much as he wanted to do to Yuffie what he had done last night, he knew he had to stop her. Touching her that way again could only cause more damage. But then her lips were a gentle pressure against his, and her hand squeezed, and he found that his resolve was rapidly crumbling. His body reacted without his mind's permission, and he pushed her on her back, underneath him. He kissed her passionately, his fingers dancing over her warm, smooth skin, memorizing and remembering the path his hands had taken the night before.

Yuffie gasped when she felt him ease into her slightly sore but tingling body. Sweet Leviathan, how was she going to forget ever being with Vincent this way? She clutched at his forearms as he started to move slowly, not rushing and wanting to prolong their moment as much as possible. Yuffie sighed in bliss as his lips trailed over her shoulder and up her neck. His silky black hair slid over her cheeks as he kissed her again and moved up to his knees, taking her with him. Her eyes were half-lidded in pleasure as they gazed into his in the clearing darkness. She smiled slightly when the glow of his eyes reminded her of materia, but he was still moving against her, and her eyes closed completely as she dug her fingers into his shoulders.

His hands were strong and sure as he moved her hips against his, his own eyes closing as he heard her breathing quicken and turn into pants against his shoulder. He kissed her chin, her jaw, the scar that cut across her throat and felt her tense against him, her completion nearly bowing her completely back as she gasped. Just the sight of her as she reached her release was enough to push Vincent there as well. He had never seen such an incredibly beautiful sight. Not even Lucrecia had reacted to him the same way.

Vincent laid Yuffie back on the bed and watched her as she blinked at him lazily. Her pale skin was flushed with a pretty pink and he found himself leaning forward to brush his lips against hers once more. Her fingers were gentle against his cheek, and she smiled gently when he pulled away to look into her eyes again. She watched him as he eased into the sheets again and wrapped his arms around her, spooning her from behind. Snuggled there in the warm sheets and his strong, safe arms she fell into a peaceful sleep.

………

By the time Yuffie woke up again, the sun was already bright, but it was still quite early, and she was alone in Vincent's bed. She could hear the water running in his shower and didn't know if she was up to having the dreaded discussion with Vincent about how last night and early this morning had been mistakes. She sat up and looked around for anything she could wear when she spotted Vincent's shirt by her feet. She pulled on the black cloth and looked around the room once, somehow resigning herself that she would never be inside that room again.

As she was walking out of the room, she froze when she heard the front door open and someone step inside. Reeve spotted her and looked at her with wide eyes as he saw what she was wearing and what room she had just walked out of. "Good morning," he said with a barely restrained smirk.

Yuffie rolled her eyes and just waved a hand. _"I think you need to hand in that key you have while I'm living here," _she mouthed.

Reeve just chuckled. "I wanted to speak to you about some things regarding the treatment. Shower and dress and then we can head to HQ. Unless… you have something else to do?" he asked, his eyes sliding to Vincent's door.

"_I'll go with you. Just go wait in the car."_ When he didn't budge, she asked,_ "Please?"_

"Fine. Don't take to long. I'll go get us breakfast and coffee from the place down the street so that you have time to get ready. See you in a few," he said before he walked out the door, his lips still curled into a knowing smile.

Yuffie cringed to herself and walked into her room to take a lightning fast shower and to dress. Though she was reluctant to wash away the scent of Vincent from her skin, she had other things from Vincent on her body that wasn't very pleasant. Once she was dressed in one of her customary outfits and her hair was brushed back, she took out a large, flat trunk from under her bed. She undid the latches and looked inside, her eyes landing on her beloved shuriken, laying in a bed of blue velvet, and as clean as she had always kept it.

Reeve had given it back to her a few days after she had lost her voice. The weapon had been cleaned and shined, and inside the box. She hadn't set eyes on it since that day. Now she took it out of the velvet and strapped it onto her back. Maybe she would get a chance to use a training room to see how rusty she had become with her weapon after months of disuse. Looking at herself in the mirror was like looking at another person. Someone she hadn't seen in a long time. The only change in her was the long scar across her throat that was still quite visible, but she had never been one to hide her scars.

Yuffie let out a deep breath and stuck her head out of her room, looking around and straining to hear any noise from the kitchen or the living room. She let out a sigh of relief before nearly running towards the front door when his voice stopped her and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Where are you going?" asked Vincent from behind her, noticing that she had her weapon strapped to her back.

Yuffie slowly turned around and looked at him, her cheeks flushing red as she looked at him. It was so awkward to see him after they had been intimate; she didn't know how she was supposed to react. _"I'm going to the WRO headquarters with Reeve. Then I'll probably go see Tifa. Don't worry about me," _she mouthed before she was out the door without allowing him to reply.

Vincent stared at the door for a few moments before he let out a heavy sigh and walked into the kitchen to get some coffee. He knew that Yuffie would avoid him as much as she could so that they wouldn't have their conversation, but it had to happen, as much as the thought pained him. He didn't want to see Yuffie cry or look so defeated. Not again. Not after all she had gone through already.

Yuffie on the other hand, was still blushing by the time she reached Reeve's car and he handed her a paper bag with a breakfast sandwich and a cup of really good smelling coffee. She wouldn't look at him, but she didn't miss the smirk that was still plastered on Reeve's face.

"So…" Reeve said, trailing off. "You and Vincent…?"

Yuffie shook her head and took a bite out of her sandwich, trying to convey the fact that they would not have that conversation now either. Reeve started his car and drove them to the WRO headquarters. By the time they arrived, the food had been eaten, and they were both sipping on their coffees as they walked side by side towards Reeve's office. Once inside, Yuffie took a seat as Reeve walked over to his big leather chair, various models of Cait Sith half built, or powered off were on the bookshelf behind him.

"Okay," he said, shuffling some papers and putting them aside before he grabbed a black folder. "Our scientists have been working on this treatment, and they have put together a more detailed report for you. It explains the procedure, what the possible side effects will be, and how we recommend you handle them. Yuffie… as the head of the WRO, I feel that you should try any means to return your voice. You were the best in your field, and so far all I have received is mediocre Intel from those who stayed in your position temporarily. But… first and foremost, I am your friend, and this treatment is aggressive. I don't want you to get hurt, and I'm sure Vincent doesn't want to see you hurt either, now more than ever."

Yuffie's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she shook her head. _"Vincent and I are nothing serious. Even after last night. It was…" _she paused and averted her eyes from her friend. _"… it was a mistake. We were both out of our wits when it happened, and we have yet to have that conversation, but I'll agree with him. We don't belong together and we never will. Vincent will always be stuck in the past and I need to move on. Nothing good will come of me moping around for something that I will never have. So, Reeve… I am going to try this procedure once, and if there is no change, we will leave things the way they are. It's my decision, and I would appreciate it if you didn't involve Vincent in any of this. He doesn't have the right to give his opinion in what I do with my life."_

"Yuffie, we can't possibly know if it's going to work if you only get the procedure done once. It's a series of six treatments. We've been searching for a way to make this the least dangerous for you. That's why there are so many. You have to at least try three, and even then, there is a great chance that you can become poisoned."

"_But what is left if I don't try this?" _Yuffie asked.

Reeve sighed. "The surgeries. Though if you take that road, you'll need two surgeries that will have to be a year apart, not to mention all the medication that you will have to take in between to help along the healing. It'll take longer, but it's safer, and still there is a fifty-fifty chance that it'll work. Just like the mako treatment," he replied, taking another sip of his coffee.

Yuffie sighed heavily and shook her head. She didn't know what to do. On one hand, she wanted to get her voice back at any cost, but on the other hand, she was afraid that it was too soon to rush into any type of treatment. She didn't want to make things worse, and she felt she needed more time to convince herself to take either of her two options. At least not yet, while she and Vincent were caught in some type of limbo.

"_When will this treatment be ready?"_ she mouthed, her eyes focused on the one glove she was wearing on her right hand. She always did have a strange sense of style, even for a ninja.

"They're still working on it. It's taken longer than I told you because I want this to be the least bit harmful for you. Another two months, maybe three. You still have time to think about it. The more research is made, the better," replied Reeve.

Yuffie nodded and stood. _"I still have time to think then. You think I can use one of your training rooms? I want to see how rusty I am with my shuriken since I haven't used it in a few months."_

"You don't even have to ask," Reeve said, standing with her and checking something on his computer. "Training room B1 is empty until later this after noon. Use it as long as you'd like."

"_Thanks Reeve. For everything. I'll just use the room for about two hours and then I'm gonna head out to see Tifa. I could use some girl talk today, and there's no one better than Tifa and her motherly hormones on overdrive," _she mouthed with a slight grin.

Reeve smiled too. "She's close to her due date and Cloud seems a bit frazzled. He's begun second guessing his abilities at fatherhood. I don't know much about kids, but I think he's done a good job with Denzel."

Yuffie nodded and smiled slightly. _"Cloud has always been oblivious to everything around him. It's a miracle he realized that a baby is growing in Tifa's stomach. But you're right. Denzel is a good kid and I'm sure their baby girl will be a lucky kid. Tell him that for me when you see him. Every time I visit Tifa, he's too busy for me to attempt to communicate with him."_

"Will do," Reeve replied. "Now go practice and stay in shape."

Yuffie gave him a thumbs up and walked out of his office, making her way to one of the training rooms. As she walked, she ignored the stares coming from the soldiers, after all she had grown accustomed to them a long time ago. She didn't wear her short shorts expressly for this purpose, but she couldn't deny the ego boost it gave her to know that men saw her as attractive. It made up for the one man she had always wanted attention from.

"Kisaragi!" a voice boomed from behind her, stopping Yuffie in mid step and making her scowl when she recognized who it was. She turned and glared at Reno as he grinned and walked towards her. "How are you this fine morning?" All he received was a rude finger gesture. "Ohh, you're breaking my heart, White Rose!" he exclaimed. Rude rolled his eyes from behind his glasses and just saluted her.

"_What do you want?" _she mouthed instead, hiding her amusement at Reno's antics.

"Had a bad night?" asked Reno lazily. At the dirty look she shot him, he grinned. The fact that she was blushing didn't escape him either. "We're here as delivery boys. Tuesti has his invitation and now that you're here, here," he said, handing over a black envelope with her name written in silver script on the front.

"_What's this?"_

"An invitation to the opening of the National Museum of History. The boss has been working on it for a while now, and it's finally finished. He thought it good to invite AVALANCHE because more than half of the history there was made by your group," said Rude.

"_Not to mention that the media will go into a frenzy because of AVALANCHE and Rufus Shinra and his Turks in the same room, being civil to each other. When is it?"_

"Two weeks from now," Reno said. "If you need a date, you know where to find me," he said, winking at her and then walking off with his eternal companion.

Yuffie just smirked to herself and made her way to the training room setting down the invitation by the door and removing her Shuriken from her back and testing its weight in her hand once again. She needed to familiarize herself with her old weapon, and she really hoped her training hadn't been shot to hell. Thoughts of Vincent and Reno were pushed far from her mind as she let the weapon fly and she took off at a run.

………

Tifa sighed in boredom as she sat on the living room couch and rubbed a particularly itchy spot on her swollen belly. Though Cloud often told her how beautiful she was, she couldn't help but feel as big as the Shera. She sniffled at the thought of never recovering her figure. She knew it was an exceedingly vain thought, but her hormones had a habit of making her think things she normally wouldn't worry about. Besides, the baby was due in three weeks, and soon she and Cloud would hold their little girl in their arms. Denzel didn't look particularly amused at the fact that he wouldn't get a baby brother, but he was still happy that he wouldn't be an only child.

Her phone beeped and Tifa let out a sigh of relief. Finally, a distraction. She noticed that it was a message from Yuffie, asking if she wanted some company. She replied a quick 'yes' and waited for another few minutes, startling a bit when she felt the baby hiccup from inside her. She remembered the look of astonishment on Cloud's face the first time it had happened and she giggled to herself.

Yuffie pranced in and Tifa smiled brightly when she saw the weapon on her back. "You were practicing with your Shuriken?"

The ninja nodded and smiled as she sat next to her and gave Tifa a tight hug. Then she patted her stomach gently, and got a kick in return. Yuffie quickly typed into the mini-computer Reeve had made for her. **It's too bad your kid won't get to know me at my best. A voiceless aunt Yuffie is not the same. How are you feeling? Did you get the invitation to the museum?**

Tifa nodded. "I'm feeling a bit more tired, but Reno and Rude dropped the invitation over this morning. I'm going to be a week away from my due date when the event happens, so Cloud doesn't want me to go. But still, who will want to miss out on seeing the history that we helped make? I'll just have to ask Cloud to carry a chair around for me," she said with a small laugh. Yuffie grinned and nodded. "How about you? How are you and Vincent getting along?"

Yuffie sighed. **We're getting along better than you'd think. Promise you won't freak out or tell anyone what I'm going to tell you? **After reading the message, Tifa looked at her and nodded. Yuffie let out a deep breath and wrote out what had happened between her and Vincent with as little detail as she could.

The mother-to-be gasped and her eyes widened comically before she burst into happy laughter and hugged Yuffie. "You're serious? How…? When? What did he say to you?"

**It happened just yesterday, and today… early in the morning. I don't know if it's just me, but I think that he was jealous that I went out with Reno. But I mean, this is Vincent, right? He doesn't remember emotions or things like jealousy.**

"But that's good isn't it? If he's jealous, it means that he cares about you more than you think," said Tifa.

**We haven't talked about it. I just ran out of the apartment today because I know what he's going to say to me, and I agree with him to a level that what we did was wrong and will only complicate things. I just can't seem to stop blushing at the mere mention of his name. **

"So you guys haven't talked about what this means? Come on Yuffie! You've been waiting for something like this to happen!" Tifa said brightly.

Yuffie shook her head and looked sad. **Nothing has changed Tifa. This means nothing. I know what he's going to tell me. That what we did was a mistake, and I can honestly say that I agree with him. I'm just gonna beat him to the punch so that he can see what it feels to be let down. I have to move on, Teef. I HAVE to.**

Tifa squeezed her hand compassionately. "Do you love him?" she asked softly, noting that Yuffie's eyes were holding back unshed tears.

Yuffie looked at her and shrugged. **I don't know. I think I do, but I don't want to be in love with him. Not when he's so convinced that he'll never love me the way he loved that woman.**

"Oh, Yuffie. For once I don't know what to tell you. Normally I would try to convince you to fight for him and for your feelings. But if Vincent won't cooperate, there's not much you can do. Just, hang in there. Maybe if you give him some time to come to terms with the fact that you care about him as more than just a friend he'll come around."

The younger woman shrugged. **I don't think it'll make a difference if he knows that I care about him that way.**

"You won't know until you try. If you really love him, Yuffie, try. If things don't work out, at least you'll know that you gave it all you could and it won't weigh on your mind as a regret," Tifa said with a kind smile.

Yuffie returned it, but still her mind was battling her heart. At the moment, her mind was still winning and she was going to beat Vincent before he rejected her first. **Moving along, can you help me find something nice to wear to this thing? But Teef, it has to be something to suit my style.**

Tifa looked thoughtful. "I think a new store just opened in the downtown district where they custom make dresses and outfits. Help me up and we can go together. I think I also need something custom made for my growing stomach," she said, heaving slightly when Yuffie helped her up. "We'll get you something eye catching," Tifa said with a grin.

Yuffie sighed and nodded. The day was still young, but she knew that after this, she couldn't put off her conversation with Vincent. Unless he wasn't at the apartment. She prayed fervently that he wasn't.

……………

By the time Yuffie returned home, Vincent had already made a list of things to say to her in order to apologize for taking advantage of her. The sun was setting and she looked slightly annoyed as she set down her Shuriken on the table. She gave him a brief, acknowledging look and walked into the kitchen to get herself a glass of cool water. Where the hell was he supposed to start this conversation? He needn't worried. Yuffie, even without a voice, always knew when to start a conversation.

She stood on the opposite side of the sitting room, but she knew that he would still be able to read her lips. _"Sorry for ducking out earlier this morning. Reeve came by before you came out of the shower, and honestly, I didn't want to talk to you about anything,"_ she admitted.

Vincent nodded. "I understand if you are angry with me about taking advantage of you last night. You were… emotional, and I knew better."

Yuffie shot him an annoyed glare, placing her hands on her hips. Vincent tried to suppress the image of his own hands on those hips, the skin bare of any clothing. _"It takes two to tango, Vince. I didn't do anything yesterday and today that I didn't want to do. But,"_ and here she paused, finally meeting his eyes. _"Is this going to change anything between us? I mean, aside from the tension and awkwardness. Is this going to change our relationship at all?"_

Vincent stared at her and shook his head. "No," he said simply.

Yuffie couldn't deny that her heart broke a little more then. She simply nodded and smashed down her tears ruthlessly. She would _not_ break down in front of him. _"It's good then, that we are on the same page. Don't worry Vince, I agree with you for once. You and I are a mistake and I won't pursue this any further. Don't worry about me, and don't feel guilty. What happened yesterday was fun, but I don't want it to change the fact that we're friends. I guess you were right. You and I will never work out."_

Vincent stared at her, blinking his crimson eyes in astonishment, which wasn't really showing on his face. "Yuffie……"

She shook her head. _"Don't worry about me, Vince. I'll be fine. I'll move on with life and I'll leave you alone. You don't have to stay here any longer. You've done a great deal for me, and it's not fair that you're stuck here, watching over me. If you want to go, go. I won't hold you back. I'm thankful, that you were such a great a friend to me when I needed it most. I… don't need you anymore,"_ she mouthed, giving him a smile that left him nearly breathless.

It was the smile that he had been waiting so long to see again, but he was having mixed feelings now that it was paired with her last words. She didn't need him anymore. _She didn't need him anymore._ He should've felt some sort of relief at her words, but he could stop and admit that it made something inside him die all over again, even when he had brought this on himself. He watched her as she picked up her Conformer and walked towards her bedroom, a sad smile replacing the previous, more lively one.

Yuffie turned to him and looked at him solemnly. _"I guess I wasn't good enough for you to let go of a woman who never loved you in the first place. But that's okay, Vincent. I'm not angry. Just don't stop being my friend over this. I wouldn't be able to live without you if you left my life permanently," _she said before she walked into her room. She strode purposely into her bathroom and shut the door, turning up the shower to full power in order for the noise to muffle her sobs as she slid against the door and wept.

………

Vincent grunted in annoyance as he pulled at the tie he was wearing. Reeve had insisted that he wear a suit for the opening of the museum, which had turned into a gala where many famous people would be attending. He was wearing an all black suit and shirt, with a silver colored tie. He'd left his hair the way it was, except that he had left his bandana with his cloak. He'd made an exception for tonight at Tifa's request, but after tonight, he would resume his regular clothing. He was sitting in the living room, feeling strange at the fact that he'd also discarded the claw, but was wearing black gloves.

There was a knock at the door and he stood to answer, greeting Reeve as he also entered, wearing a black suit with a silver vest, white shirt, and a black bow tie. "I'm guessing Tifa did this on purpose. What is Yuffie wearing?"

"I do not know," Vincent replied. He hadn't talked much to her since their conversation two weeks prior, but that had been his choice, not hers. He felt a little bad, but he really didn't know how to handle the fact that she had rejected him before he had had the chance to do the same to her. He'd kept his distance from her for fear that he would crush her against the wall and kiss her desperately, to make her see that even though he said one thing, he completely meant something else.

Yuffie's door opened and she stepped out, freezing when both men stared at her. _"What?" _she mouthed.

"You look beautiful," said Reeve, eyeing her from head to toe.

Yuffie smiled slightly and looked down at herself. Tifa had really gotten something she loved. She was wearing a short black skirt that bounced around her and fell over layers of more silver and black. Her top was a sort of intricate wrap of black, glittering material with long sleeves that trailed down her sides. True to Tifa's promise, she had chosen a pair of black boots that reached her knees and had almost no heel at all; the style reminded Yuffie of the boots she chose for her normal attire, except they were dressy and had no room for a blade or any other type of weapon. Her hair was pretty much the same, but her eyes had been outlined lightly, making them look more slanted.

She forced herself to look away from Vincent, who was also looking at her as if he had never seen her before. She let out a sigh and walked over to take Reeve's arm, pulling him out of the apartment. She feared that if she kept staring at Vincent in a suit, Reeve would get a very embarrassing floor show.

"Only the best for the members of AVALANCHE," said Reeve, motioning to the limo that was waiting at the front of the building. Yuffie just grinned and got in, Vincent and Reeve following but sitting on opposite sides of the luxurious vehicle. The drive over was quiet, and Yuffie noticed Vincent flinch when he noticed the various media and photographers at the main entrance.

"_Is there any other entrance we can use?"_ Yuffie mouthed at Reeve. He shook his head and realized he and Vincent felt the same way. Neither of them had ever been fans of the spotlight.

The limo stopped and the driver opened the door for them. Reeve was the first to step out, followed by Vincent, who in a very gentlemanly manner offered his hand to Yuffie and helped her move out. She was nearly blinded by the flashes as the photographers went crazy. She linked her arm with Reeve's again, but kept her hand in Vincent's as they stepped onto the blue carpet and dodged the questions about the attack on Wutai months ago, Reeve's relationship status, and Vincent's connection to Deepground and the fight against Omega. Honestly, the media needed to come up with better questions.

The flashes went crazy again and Yuffie looked back in time to see Cloud, Tifa, Cid, and Shera step out of the limo that had moved up after theirs. Then Reeve was guiding her into the building and towards the assembly hall that had been set up for Rufus to give the opening speech. They were seated in a reserved section and Yuffie grinned at Tifa as she sat down on the other side of Vincent. Though she looked as beautiful as always, even with her huge stomach, Yuffie could tell that she was tired. After all, her due date was a week away, and Tifa had told Yuffie that since this was her first baby, the doctor had said that the labor could come sooner, or even later than the date given to her. She was wearing a flattering sleeveless dress that reached her knees, and a silver colored jacket.

Yuffie eyed Cloud and Cid and once again would've cackled if she'd had the ability in her vocal cords. They looked completely uncomfortable in their suits, which were similar to Vincent and Reeve's, but each had a difference. Shera looked pretty in a black, form-fitting dress and a silver shawl. So it had been some sort of theme, Yuffie mused as she spotted Barret in an all black suit with a silver bow tie.

Her phone beeped just as Rufus Shinra took the stage and started to give a charismatic speech that she had no interest in hearing. She took out her phone from one of the wraps around her torso and checked it. It was a message from Reno. She smirked to herself as she read it.

**U look prtty 2nite.**

**Thanks, **she wrote, looking around and spotting him up on the stage, off to the side, but close to Rufus. **You don't look so bad yourself.**

**You'll dance wit me 2nite?**

**I didn't know there would be dancing.**

**There will be. Champagne and fngr foods 2.**

Yuffie smiled and nodded at Reno, missing the fact that Vincent, who had been trying to ignore her, was twitching in annoyance at the little clatter of her typing on the small keys of her computer. The speech was over soon enough, and she said hello to her old friends again before excusing herself and walking off towards the exhibitions on her own. Reno met her in the hall of AVALANCHE, staring at a blown up picture of them all, sans Aerith, who had been given her own memorial, and her own blown up picture under some flowers from her church that had been frozen and preserved.

"I was serious when I said that you looked nice. Beautiful," he said, kissing her knuckles.

Yuffie smiled and asked him for a personal tour, grinning every time he cracked a joke at her or Cloud's expense, and watching in awe as they stepped into a hall that showed the battles they had partaken in. There were some astonishing pictures of Meteor and Omega there as well, but the memories didn't sit well with Yuffie. They had lost so many people during those battles. She pulled Reno towards the main room, where there was a live band playing classical music. There were some couples already dancing, but there were few, since most everybody was looking at the exhibits.

"When you get a chance, check out the gardens. They're beautiful," murmured Reno as he wrapped his arm around her waist, and entwined their free hands.

Yuffie just nodded and smiled as she looked around. She spotted Cloud and Tifa—who looked to be in tears—by Aerith's monument. Reeve was talking to Cid and Barret about a small model of what Edge could possibly look like in twenty to thirty years. Then her eyes met crimson and she had to force herself to not look away from him. He was standing in the shadows, like always, but his eyes were on her, watching her as Reno held her close to him, as his hand moved over the exposed flesh of her waist. Yuffie did look away then, confusion clouding her mind at the look she had seen flashing through his eyes.

Vincent kept watching her, trying to will her to move away from Reno. He didn't know whether the gnawing feeling in his gut was the same thing he had felt that night she had gone on the date with the Turk. Really, was he jealous? If he was, why was it so hard to let her in, to let her be with him? Putting aside the fact that she had agreed with him that they were a mistake, he had seen the feelings in her eyes. She felt something for him, but he didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to feel either. Well, at the moment, he felt the insane urge to empty the entirety of Cerberus' bullets inside of Reno, but that wasn't relevant at the moment.

He looked up in time to see Yuffie and Reno separate before they went different ways. She stepped out into the gardens located at the back of the museum, and Vincent found himself following before he could stop himself. He found her standing in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of white roses. She looked up as he approached and smiled slightly as she touched the petals of a half opened rose. The sun was setting and the various colors were painting across her smooth skin.

"_White roses were my mother's favorites. She was the one who used to call me her White Rose of Wutai," _she mouthed, looking at the flowers fondly.

"She was right to call you that. White roses are the most beautiful of all," said Vincent quietly.

Yuffie smiled. _"I would've pegged you as the red rose type,"_ she admitted. _"But thank you, for calling me beautiful. I know I'll never be a beauty like Tifa, or Aerith, or even your precious Lucrecia, but it's good to hear it from you."_

"Those ladies are beautiful in their own, but so are you. You're just as beautiful as they are, believe me. But… Yuffie, there is something important that I need to say to you," he said. Yuffie turned her attention from the roses to Vincent. "I know we agreed that we would be a mistake, but seeing you with Reno is not pleasant for me. I can't figure out why, but just the thought of you with him……" he trailed off.

Yuffie felt her heart speed up at his words. Was he saying what she thought he was? She swallowed hard and stepped closer to the gunman. _"What?"_

"I can't promise you anything," he said softly, looking into her soft, brown eyes, watching her hope fall. "But I can try. You'll have to be patient with me. This is all new territory, even after all that happened with Lucrecia. I am old, and I grew up a different way than you did. I believe that there is much I have yet to learn. But I believe that this will only happen if you will have me. If you want me."

Then she smiled and her smile surpassed the beauty and brightness of the sun, and Vincent realized that he would truly give up anything to see that smile on her face for the rest of their lives. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as her tiny body could manage. He was a great deal taller than her, so when he stood upright, she was nearly hanging off his neck. But she didn't let go, and then her lips sought out his and Vincent realized that she tasted like something sweet, and smelled like roses. She pulled back and looked at him happily.

How could she not want him? She had never believed that this would happen in this or any lifetime, but what he had just said to her was enough to forget the past two weeks of angst she had gone through. She had also tried to be distant from him, but she didn't know if she would be able to live her life without Vincent. She hadn't wanted him to leave, but she wouldn't have held him back, even if it broke her heart. Hearing his words had made her greatest dream come true. She couldn't believe it. She realized that he was still waiting for a response and she gave him a sheepish look.

"_Of course I want you! Who wouldn't want a man like you? Despite your stubbornness and your annoying sense of honor and righteousness, you are one of the greatest men I have ever met. Reeve, Cloud, Cid, and Barret are too, but don't tell them I said that. I'll deny it vehemently. But the point is, all you have to do is have a little faith in us and we'll work out," _she mouthed, hugging him tightly afterwards.

Vincent kissed her forehead and felt a great sense of release wash over him as he held Yuffie in his arms. Two weeks had been a long time to think about a future with the ninja, after their intimacy. But if he was honest with himself, he had started thinking about that from the moment they had shared their first kiss. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that either, but he wanted to let go of Lucrecia. He wanted to move on. He needed to move on. Though he still felt guilty because Yuffie was still so young, he felt relieved that she wanted to be with him as well, and she was able to look past all that he was and all that he had been.

"Promise me something, Yuffie," he said seriously. At the tone in his voice, she looked up at him questioningly. "That you won't take the Mako treatment. We can work through this some other way, but I don't want to lose you the way I lost Lucrecia to Jenova and the Mako. There must be some other way to get through this."

Yuffie was wise enough to see when she was getting conned into something, and though Vincent was an ex-Turk, and an expert gunman who had helped save the world three times already, he knew how to use that face to get her to promise anything. She let out a long breath and nodded vaguely, relief running through her when he accepted her reply and hugged her too him. Neither of them were aware of the camera flashing away at a distance, or of their fellow AVALANCHE members watching the scene unfold with big smiles on their faces, and some of the men exchanging gil at the loss of a wager.

"Cloud?" said Tifa loudly, her voice breaking slightly.

"Yeah?" he asked with a grin, pocketing his ill-gotten gil.

"I think I'm in labor," she said with a gasp.

"Huh?" asked Cloud as Vincent and Yuffie approached them. Yuffie slapped him upside the head to see if it would help. She shrugged at the glare Vincent shot her. "Huh?" asked Cloud again, going pale.

"I'm going into labor, you twit!" Tifa exclaimed, catching the attention of many people and of the only reporter and photographer who had managed to buy the exclusive for the event. To apparently force her point across even further, her water broke over her, Cloud, and Vincent's shoes. Yuffie had managed to jump away just in time. She had never thanked Leviathan more for her ninja reflexes.

Cloud finally snapped out of it and helped Tifa towards the front entrance and to the limo that Reeve had called to the front from the moment she had exclaimed she was in labor. Then everyone from AVALANCHE piled into the large limo and they sped off towards the Edge General Hospital.

Yuffie laced her fingers with Vincent's as they watched Cloud trying to breathe with Tifa as she clutched his hand in a death grip. Vincent looked at her and his eyes softened at the calm look in her eyes, despite the exciting situation. If he could place that look on her face with only accepting her in his life, he knew he had made the right choice.

_Maybe I'd fight if I could  
_

_It hurts so bad, but feels so good  
_

_She opens up just like a rose to me  
_

_When she's close to me  
_

_Anything she'd ask me to I would _

It's out of control 

_But I can't let go_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

How was that? I really liked this chapter, more than the others. I know Vince may seem a bit OOC and things were kinda rushed, but it was necessary. He's not admitting that he loves Yuffie, just that he wants to try something with her and not have her run off with Reno. So next chapter will see the Birth of the newest Strife family member, and more on what Yuffie will do in order to get her voice back. And more than likely, more Vince/Yuffie fluff. Thanks for the reviews in the last chapter and feel free to let me know what you thought about this chapter! Have a great week everyone!

Joey


	4. Changes

**Disclaimer: **I don't own FFVII or any of the characters used in this fic. I am making no money off of them.

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**Helpless When She Smiles**

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**Changes**

………………………………

Vincent watched calmly as Cloud paced the hallway of the floor where Tifa was getting examined by the on-call doctor. He had wanted to stay with her, but mid-way through the examination, he had nearly passed out when he had realized that he and Tifa were going to have a baby in a matter of hours. Tifa had asked him to leave and get something to drink, or at least some fresh air. She had been only half dilated when they had arrived, and before he had gotten kicked out, the doctor said that it would be a few more hours before the baby would be born.

Cloud stopped his pacing and ran his hands through his hair in jerky movements, missing the amused look on Yuffie's face as she sat in the warmth of Vincent's coat. She leaned her head against his shoulder and let out a deep breath. The others were waiting down in the lobby, since that many people were not allowed in the waiting room on the floor, but Cloud was seriously contemplating telling them to go get some rest if it was going to take so long.

"Sit down, Cloud. You need to relax," said Vincent evenly.

"Yeah, I'd like to see you when you decide to have your own kids," muttered Cloud.

Yuffie looked up at Vincent and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. He gave her a dry look. She just smirked and looked back at Cloud, who had been watching the interaction with raised eyebrows.

"You two are…… finally together?" he asked. Though he had seen them smooching out in the gardens at the museum before Tifa had gone into labor, he still felt he needed to hear it from Vincent in order to really believe it.

Vincent nodded. "We are," he acquiesced.

Cloud looked thoughtful. "You two go good together. It's nice to see that you're willing to move on," he said with a slight smile.

Yuffie grinned and made a big show of kissing Vincent's cheek, earning them some amused looks from some nurses passing by, and making the gunman flush slightly in embarrassment. _"Don't go all embarrassed on me, Vince. If we're going to be together, I want the whole world to know," _she mouthed with a grin.

Vincent just shook his head and they both looked up when the doctor left Tifa's room. Cloud nearly jumped a foot in the air. "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?"

"They are both just fine. The labor seems to be speeding along and your wife is nearly nine centimeters dilated. If the labor keeps up this way, the baby should be born in another hour or two. She has been asking for you, so go ahead and enter the room," the doctor said to him.

"Thank you," said Cloud before turning to Vincent and Yuffie. "Thanks for being here, both of you. When the baby is born, I will let you know."

Yuffie nodded and offered a thumbs-up to the man before he walked into the private room Tifa had been placed in for the labor. She turned to look at Vincent and sighed. _"I wonder who the baby is going to look like."_

"Hopefully she will not have Cloud's hair," muttered Vincent.

The ninja grinned and entwined her fingers with his left hand. _"You just made a joke! You're so cute, Vince!"_

"Cute?" he asked in distaste.

"_What, are you too good to be called cute?" _she mouthed as she stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes holding his as he looked up at her.

Vincent shrugged one shoulder and placed his hands against her slim waist, bringing her in against him. Their lips met in a gentle kiss that left her breathless and nearly ripped his heart from his chest. How could he have been foolish enough to believe that he would never love her the way he had loved Lucrecia? Yuffie was everything the other woman had never been and never wanted to be. Though she had lost some of her shine with the loss of her voice, she was still amazing and beautiful.

Yuffie pulled back and ran her hands carefully through his silky soft hair, enjoying the way the strands slid easily through her fingers. _"I hope Cloud doesn't faint while Tifa is actually giving birth."_

Vincent smirked and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she sat down next to him again and let out a tired sigh. "Get some rest. I will wake you when we have some news," he said as he moved to stand.

Yuffie grabbed his hand and pulled him back down onto the couch of the waiting room. She grinned and then laid her head on his thigh before snuggling down as much as she could. Vincent looked down at her and ran gentle hands through her own hair, helping to ease her into a light sleep. He smiled slightly to himself and sat back to wait for the birth of the next little Strife.

…

It was the middle of the night when a nurse walked over to them and Vincent came awake before she even opened her mouth. "Mrs. Strife has just given birth to her baby girl and asked me to come out here to tell you and your wife," she said with a kind smile.

Vincent felt something jump in his chest at the assumption that Yuffie was his wife, but did not correct the woman. "Thank you. What about Cloud?"

"Mr. Strife fainted right after he saw the birth of his daughter. He's still out cold in the arm chair in her room. The baby will be in the nursery for the next ten minutes, then we will take her to her mother. Visiting hours are later this morning, but you and the rest of your friends can see the baby in the nursery tonight," she said before walking away.

Vincent shook Yuffie awake gently and watched as she yawned and sat up, a sleepy smile on her face. "Tifa just had the baby and the nurse will place her in the nursery for a while so that we can see her. I will go tell the others while you go see the child," he said, standing and walking towards the elevator.

Yuffie yawned again and made her way towards the nursery with the big window and the various infants sleeping away in their clear, plastic bassinets. The nurse that was watching over the newborns had seen her arrive with Tifa and Cloud, so she helpfully pointed to one of the few baby girls wrapped in pink. Yuffie felt her heart melt in an instant. She was tiny, with pale skin, rosy cheeks, and a tiny nose. And though she was barely a few minutes old, Yuffie could tell that she looked just like Cloud.

The rest of AVALANCHE arrived in minutes and Yuffie pointed to Lilly Aerith Strife before everyone broke into 'awws' and happy laughter. They all wondered where Cloud was, and snickering promptly broke from Yuffie and Cid when Vincent explained what the nurse had told him about Cloud fainting after the birth of the baby.

By the time they arrived at their apartment, since Tifa was sedated and couldn't receive any visitors until later on in the day, both Yuffie and Vincent were beyond tired. Yuffie pulled off her boots and clothes before slipping into her bed with only an oversized t-shirt on. And though Vincent had wanted them to stay in their own bedrooms, he had caved and had slipped into bed next to her, his arms warm and secure around her.

……

"_We should stop by the gift shop and buy Tifa and the baby something," _Yuffie mouthed to Vincent as she pulled on some clean clothes and proceeded to brush her damp hair. They had slept into the late morning, and had a _very_ refreshing bout of sex in the shower that had completely woken her up and left her in a cheery mood.

Vincent nodded and used her brush to pass it over his own damp hair a few times as well. Yuffie watched in amusement and sighed to herself when the warm feeling in her chest grew tenfold. She was happy, or at least happier than she remembered feeling after she had lost her voice and her father had been killed. Though she had refused to talk about what had happened, and had even cursed Reeve as best she could when he had almost begged her to see a shrink a few days after the attack, she felt that her life was getting better. Still, she wanted her voice back, but Vincent didn't want her to take the treatment. Even if she did accept the surgeries, she would have to wait more than a year in order to see if it worked. She didn't know if she would be able to pass so much time without a voice. Without a real conversation.

"Are you all right?" asked Vincent from behind her. He watched her reflection in the mirror and noticed that though she had been more cheerful this morning than he remembered seeing her, he had seen the happiness dim some in the past few minutes.

Yuffie nodded and offered a small smile before standing and pulling him out of the room and towards the kitchen for breakfast. After making quick work of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee, they made their way out and towards the hospital to visit Tifa. At the gift shop, Yuffie picked out some white and red roses for her friend, while she tasked Vincent with picking something out for the baby.

Vincent stared at the various things for a newborn and was at a loss. He had no idea what newborn babies did, or what they liked, and faintly wondered if they even noticed any of the things going on around them. He supposed that a blanket would do, since he didn't know what else he could get a little being that was only a few hours old.

"_Vince, that blanket is ugly. Isn't there something better for you to give to Cloud and Tifa's baby?"_ Yuffie asked him at the register.

Vincent gave her a flat look before looking down at the white blanket with little moogles making weird faces. "You asked me to pick something out for the baby when I know nothing of children," he muttered. "I picked something and this is what I want the girl to have."

Yuffie merely rolled her eyes and paid for the gifts after another session of glaring between them, since he had felt it necessary for him to pay, and they made their way up towards the maternity floor. Tifa was up and smiling when they knocked and stepped through the door. Cloud was sitting by the bed, looking happier than Yuffie had ever remembered seeing him, and there were various balloons and gift bags on a table in the corner. In Tifa's arms sat a little bundle in pink, sucking her thumb and sleeping peacefully.

Yuffie nearly skipped over to look at the baby up close and was there in time to see the little girl open her eyes to reveal baby blue's the same shade as Cloud's. Yuffie was making cooing noises in her head at the adorable little girl, though she was still slightly red and a bit wrinkled—Tifa had told her a few weeks ago that this was expected in all newborns—she was the prettiest baby she had ever seen.

"Congratulations," said Vincent, handing the flowers and the present to Cloud so that he could place them where he could.

"Thank you," said Tifa with a smile, handing over the baby to Yuffie so that the ninja could hold her.

"Are you sure that it's safe for Yuffie to hold Lilly?" asked Cloud as he hovered next to a glaring Yuffie. "No offense," he said at the look on her face. "But she's pretty tiny and I don't know if you've ever held a baby before."

Yuffie sighed in irritation and walked over to sit down in a chair. Though it was irritating that Cloud didn't trust her with his newborn daughter, she understood to a point. She had never held a baby this tiny before because there had never been an excuse for her to hold any babies whatsoever. Vincent walked over to her and kneeled by her side to look at the baby as Yuffie inspected her, even going as far as to pulling the little hat on her head to reveal blonde hair only slightly darker than Cloud's. Her grip was strong around Yuffie's finger, and she fell back into sleep in her arms.

"Oh, you two will make great parents some day," said Tifa with a sniffle. Cloud refrained from rolling his eyes and sat next to Tifa on the hospital bed so that he could wrap an arm around the hormonal, new mother.

Yuffie just shook her head and smirked before returning her gaze back to the newborn in her arms. _"Ask Cloud if it's true that he fainted. I want to hear it from him," _she mouthed to Vincent with an evil glint in her eyes.

"I will do no such thing," muttered Vincent so that the other couple didn't hear them.

Yuffie gave him a playful pout and watched Vincent as he rubbed a gentle finger down the baby's cheek. Then she stood and walked over to hand the infant back to Tifa. Yuffie traced a heart over her own heart and smiled. Tifa nodded in understanding. "Thanks for being here, and for staying last night too. It was good to know that some of you were conscious while I had my baby," she said, sliding Cloud a mischievous look.

Cloud's cheeks turned a faint pink as Yuffie laughed silently and even Vincent tried to contain his amusement. Yuffie walked over to Cloud and patted him on the head, giving him a mocking, sympathetic look. Cloud swatted her hand away before Vincent pulled Yuffie away from the other man. "Leave him be, Yuffie," he murmured.

Yuffie wrinkled her nose at him and then shrugged. _"Tell Tifa that her baby is beautiful and that we'll visit her as soon as she's feeling up to it, please."_

Vincent relayed the message and they said their goodbyes. Tifa watched with a smile as the door to her room closed and she caught a glimpse of Yuffie sliding her hand into Vincent's. She turned to look at Cloud, who was gazing at Lilly as if he had never seen anything quite like her. "Are you happy, Cloud?" she asked him as her eyes drifted to their child as well.

Cloud looked at her and smiled a true smile. "Never thought I would feel the way I do. You, Denzel, and now Lilly are my reasons to live…… and I'm happy," he murmured before kissing her gently, a gentle hand resting on the infant between them.

…………

Three blissful months of peace passed by, at least that had been Yuffie's thought before Tifa had called and asked her to baby-sit Denzel _and_ Lilly. Though Cloud had been more than opposed to leaving his baby girl with a voiceless ninja. He knew that Denzel was old enough to take care of himself, but what if Yuffie dropped the baby on her head?

Yuffie had given him the finger when he had said that to Tifa in front of her. Then the bartender had had to break up a squabble between them before it escalated. "Denzel knows our numbers in case of emergency, Cloud. Besides, I know that Yuffie is more than capable to take care of both our babies." And here she ruffled Denzel's hair as the boy rolled his eyes. "She's been over with us many many times and she's learned how to change and feed Lilly. Denzel knows how to as well. We need this evening, Cloud. We haven't been alone in months," she said with a pout.

Cloud let out a deep breath and nodded, looking at Yuffie ruefully. "Okay, I'm sorry about saying those things about you, Yuffs. Tifa is right, Denzel and Lilly couldn't be in better hands," he admitted.

Yuffie grinned and nodded, taking the infant from Cloud and squeezing her little cheek gently. Tifa and Cloud had a romantic evening planned that had to be kid-free in order to be enjoyed. But it appeared to Yuffie that Cloud was feeling the separation anxiety more than Tifa. Denzel was already sitting at the couch, playing a video game, since he had finished his homework earlier in the day. Tifa let her know that she had also made some food for them all—including Yuffie—so that they didn't have to worry about cooking or ordering anything. Lilly's bottles were ready to be warmed up, and she would be asleep in an hour or two. The couple left a few minutes later, but before Yuffie could even place Lilly in the bassinet Cloud and Tifa had brought over as well, there was a knock at the door.

Yuffie frowned to herself and checked who it was before opening the door. Reeve was on the other side and he smiled when he saw who she was holding. "Hello, Yuffie. How is this big girl doing?" he asked with a big grin, taking Lilly in his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"_Cloud and Tifa just left. Did you see them on your way up?"_

"No," he said. "They were probably on their way down as I came up. So you're babysitting today?" he walked over and sat next to Denzel, trading greetings before Reeve turned his attention back to Yuffie.

"_Yeah. Vincent isn't going to be back from his secret mission thing for a few more days, so I have to find something else to occupy my time. Tifa and Cloud needed a sitter for today, so I offered. Those two need some time away from the kids."_

Reeve chuckled and nodded. He sat the baby on his lap, so that she could look at Denzel or at Yuffie if she wanted. She truly was a cutie. Her blonde hair was growing longer, and Tifa had placed a little bow to hold the unruly strands away from her forehead and eyes. Her eyes, so big and blue looked curiously at her surroundings, even at her tender age of three months. She sucked a thumb into her mouth and Reeve smiled, wishing he had someone to share a child with, but he guessed it wasn't his time yet. He turned to Yuffie and chuckled when he found her making funny faces at the baby.

"Yuffie…" he started, trailing off a bit until she looked up at him again. "Have you thought about the treatment?"

She nodded and looked sad and irritated at the same time. _"Part of me wants to, Reeve, but the other part is siding with Vincent. He made me promise that I wouldn't take it."_

Reeve sighed and sat back, taking the cloth that Yuffie was offering when he felt a wet glob of baby drool fall on his hand. "I know that you have waited a long time to be with Vincent and that you don't want to do anything to jeopardize your relationship, but Yuffie, this needs to be _your _decision. Not his. It's your life, your voice."

"_I know Reeve. I know."_

"In any case, whenever you are ready, the treatment plan has been completed. If you take it, it's up to you. If you don't, it's your decision as well. Whatever you do, Yuffie, we'll be by you."

She smiled and took the baby back when Reeve handed her over. _"Thanks Reeve. Maybe I need some more time. Maybe I'll even convince Vincent, but I don't know anymore," _she admitted, a small smile on her face as Lilly looked up at her with her pretty blue eyes.

Reeve stood and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it too much. I'll see you later kid. Remember that if you ever need to get some training done, you can use the rooms at HQ whenever you want. You need to keep in shape," he said pleasantly.

Yuffie just rolled her eyes and walked him to the door after placing Lilly in her bassinet and giving her her favorite pacifier. Reeve smiled and gave her a small, reassuring hug before he walked out the door. Yuffie checked the baby once more before going to the kitchen to get something to drink for her and Denzel. As she grabbed two bottles of some type of fruit juice that included carrots—Vincent must've gotten those—her thoughts returned to what Reeve had said to her.

She knew that he wasn't trying to drive her and Vincent apart, but he was right. This was her decision and really, though Vince cared about her, he couldn't just ask her to give up something that could potentially return her voice. What if the treatment really did work and she had been denying herself the use of her voice because Vincent asked her to? But she couldn't really blame him. It was her decision either way, even if he became angry with her.

Yuffie handed over the bottled juice to Denzel and picked up the second controller of the game system that Reeve had given to her as a Christmas gift nearly three months ago. A smile slipped onto her face when she remembered the little get together Tifa and Shera had thrown at the bar for all of them. Lilly had been just about two weeks old and Tifa had already been on her feet, despite having Cloud nagging at her that she should be resting. Little Sean was growing into a cutie himself, and Yuffie hoped that his looks kept close to his mother's. After the dinner and gift exchange, she and Vincent had gone back home and had shared a long, hot bath.

His gift to her had been a brand new shuriken, half the size of the one she currently owned, with slots for materia. Along with the weapon, he had given her three mastered materia, and though she no longer jumped off the walls at the sight of materia that she didn't own, she was happy and she loved his gift.

Her gift to him had been a brand new cloak, exactly like the one he owned now, except for the frayed edges. It had taken her a while to find a shop that would make it for him exactly like the one he had, since the style had been dead for over twenty years. He had liked her gift and had been wearing it since he had received it. He had wanted to dispose of his old cloak, but Yuffie had refused and had placed it in a safe place. After all, that cloak had gone through so much, she hadn't been willing to part with it as easily as Vincent had.

Though they hadn't analyzed what type of relationship they were in now—since it appeared to Yuffie that he didn't want her to see other men, namely Reno—they were good. He slept with her in her room, and they'd had many nights dedicated to memorizing each other's body late into the night. She had been missing him for the better part of two weeks now, thanks to his mission with the WRO. But soon he would be back, and he would touch her and kiss her as if she were a precious treasure of his that he never wanted to let go.

But despite all of his attentions towards her, Reeve was right, damn it. So as she got her butt kicked by a monster on the screen for not paying attention, she resolved to talk to Vincent as soon as he returned. She was scared to death of the discussion, but if he wasn't willing to stay by her side if she went with the treatment, then maybe they really weren't meant to be.

………

Vincent watched Yuffie from over his book as she shined the blades of her shurikens. He had returned from his mission with the WRO two days before, only to find that Yuffie was more withdrawn from him. Since losing her voice, she had been _quiet_ to a certain point, but now it was worse. She seemed depressed and though he had asked her if she was okay more than once, she always replied that she was fine. But he could see that she wasn't. Her eyes darted to him for about the fifth time in the last five minutes and he set down his book.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" he asked her gently.

Yuffie bit her lip and nodded once. _"I know you didn't want me to consider the mako treatment at all, Vince, but," _she paused and looked down at her weapons. _"I want my voice back. I want to work with the WRO and with you and Reeve. I can't just spend another moment here, doing nothing. Tifa has been a great friend, but I can't impose on her so much either. Without my voice, I can't do a single thing. I wouldn't be able to rule Wutai, even if I wanted to."_

Vincent looked at her and felt her sadness squeeze around his chest. "I'm worried that I'll lose you if you become poisoned or if something goes wrong with this treatment," he admitted.

The ninja shook her head. _"You can lose me any number of different ways, Vince. I can get run over by a car, or I can fall off a chocobo and break my neck, or lightning can strike me while I'm standing out on the terrace."_

Her words amused him, despite the subject they were talking about. "All of those things are highly unlikely, but I understand that you are trying to say. Still… you've read what can happen to you, right? Your heart can stop; your organs can fail you, if you get mako poisoning. Worse yet, you may fall into a vegetative state the way Cloud did, and there would be no way of bringing you back. What would I do then, Yuffie? What would I do without you?"

Yuffie stood and walked over to crawl into his lap and wrap her arms around his neck. She pulled back to touch his face and to press a kiss to his lips. _"I can't go on this way, Vincent. I need my voice back."_

Vincent ran his hand over her bare leg, a touch of comfort and not of seduction like it normally was between them. He had never been big on physical comfort before Yuffie had come along. He now knew the importance of a hug, or of a simple touch on the shoulder, even some hand holding. "Why don't you just rejoin the WRO the way you are? You are still a capable warrior with many skills that the normal soldiers do not have."

Yuffie let go of him abruptly and stood, a scowl on her face as she stormed back to her shurikens. She resumed the shining with almost near violence and Vincent approached cautiously. _"That is not the point,"_ she mouthed angrily. _"I can't talk, Vincent! I can't go on missions because I am more of a liability than anything else! How will I be able to call for back-up or report anything out of the ordinary? What if I'm in danger but I can't say why because I don't have a Leviathan-forsaken voice?"_

She was so distraught that Vincent was having a hard time understanding what she was mouthing at him, but he caught it all and tried to calm her down. "I will leave you so that you can calm down. We will continue this talk in an hour or two," he said, turning to go. Apparently he had said the wrong thing, for a second after he had turned, something whistled by his ear and nearly sliced off some of his hair. His eyes slid forward to the shuriken he had given her and was now lodged in the previously unblemished door. He turned and gave Yuffie a cool look before he saw that there were tears in her eyes.

She moved to run into her room, but despite her training he was still faster and he caught her in his arms before she could shut herself in. Vincent hugged her as she struggled in his grip, the tears falling down her face now. He held her tightly, murmuring soothing words against her temple and feeling his heart hurting in his chest at her pain. He had thought that she was okay now that they were together, but he had been wrong to assume that the loss of her voice hadn't affected her as much as it had. There wasn't much that he could do except kiss her.

He kissed her as if he would crawl into her mouth, and she kissed him just as intensely. Soon there were no more clothes between them, just his skin against hers. His lips touching hers. His thumbs smoothing away her tears. He had come to know her body as well as his own, and he reveled in the fact that his touch could cause her to arch her back, that his kisses could make her clutch at his back, and that the movement of his body against her, inside her, could make her breathing quicken into pants.

Later, as she lay sprawled over him, her index finger curling around a strand of his silky black hair the way she was so fond to do after they had been intimate, he came to a decision. "I'm sorry that I can't fully understand what you are going through," he murmured into the darkening room. Her gentle lips pressed over the place where his heart was. "I will be going on another mission, tied in with the one I was just on. But… I will be gone for two to three months. I promise you that this will be the last mission I take for a while."

Yuffie sighed sadly against him and nodded to let him know that she understood. Vincent ran his hand through the short locks of her hair before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Give me that time and then when I return, I will be there with you while you get that treatment done. I left Lucrecia to her own devices, but I will not leave you, Yuffie. I will be there with you through it all."

She smiled to herself and wrapped her arms around Vincent tightly, pressing kisses to his jaw, trying to tell him how thankful she was that he would be there with her in case the treatment didn't work or if things went wrong.

Now she felt guilty for throwing her shuriken at him, but she had a very nice way of making it up to him. She pressed her lips to his in another hot kiss.

…………

Yuffie bounced the giggling infant in her arms, grinning when Lily put her tiny hands in her hair and pulled. With the combined blood of a mako enhanced man and a martial artist, the girl's strength was something to worry about. Tifa's eyes widened and she pried the five-month-old girl from the ninja.

Yuffie gave her a thankful look and checked her head for bald spots. Though she loved the little girl to death, Yuffie needed a bit of distance between them now that the baby had discovered that hair was great for pulling. The baby loved her as much as she loved Tifa and Cloud because of all the time she had been spending over at the bar recently.

Vincent had been gone on his mission for almost two months now, but he communicated with her through messages whenever he could. She missed him very much, but there wasn't much she could do but wait for him to return so that she could have a chance at getting her voice back.

Since she didn't have much to do during the day, she spent her time between training at the WRO HQ and hanging with Tifa and the kids at Seventh Heaven. She had even learned to cook a few more different things that she hadn't known before. Normally, Vincent cooked for the both of them, which gave her a fuzzy feeling in her stomach when she thought of it, but other times she took charge of breakfast and lunch, cooking simple things.

Though she hadn't been eating breakfast for the last few days, since her stomach had been acting funny before she got out of bed. Putting aside the thoughts of making herself sick because she missed Vincent so much, she looked at Tifa as she kissed her baby girl and tickled her gently. "She's getting so big, isn't she?" she asked Yuffie.

The ninja nodded and would've jumped back playfully when the baby reached for her, but she felt her vision tilt and she reached out blindly for anything to hold onto. Thankfully, her hands found the counter of the bar and she held on for dear life, breathing a little ragged as her vision went back to normal. The weird rumble of nausea came back and she darted towards the bathroom before Tifa could even ask her if she was okay.

"Cloud?" she called him from where he had been talking to Barret in the corner booth. He walked over to her and gave her a questioning look. "Watch over the bar and Lilly for a moment, will you? I think Yuffie is sick and I want to check on her," she said worriedly.

"Sick how?" asked Cloud as he took his daughter and pressed a kiss to her chubby cheek.

"She ran up to the bathroom to throw up, and before that I think she had a dizzy spell," Tifa murmured, not missing the look Cloud was giving her. "She can't be…… can she?"

Cloud shrugged. "Go check on her and try to get details. If she has all the symptoms that you did, maybe you need to take her to a store to buy a test."

Tifa stared at him and shook her head with a grin. "I always knew you weren't so clueless."

"Thanks?" asked Cloud sarcastically.

She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she darted up the stairs in search of her friend. She just hoped that she had made it to the bathroom on time. As she neared the door, she could hear Yuffie dry heaving and coughing violently.

"Yuffie, can I come in?" she asked, turning the doorknob slowly and peaking in, in case her friend didn't want her in there.

Yuffie flushed the toilet and moved to the sink to wash her mouth thoroughly with mouthwash and water. She dried her hands and then gave Tifa a smile that was more grimace than anything reassuring.

"Have you and Vincent been together without protection?" she asked the ninja bluntly.

Yuffie looked at her in mortification and took out her phone, hoping Tifa had hers as well. She did. **Yeah, but we've talked about it and Vince said that he was probably too old to produce any kids. We haven't really worried about it.**

Tifa wanted to slap her forehead. "You shouldn't have taken his word without proof. The fact that he was experimented on and was in a sort of hibernated sleep for nearly thirty years does not make him infertile," she said slowly, hoping that Yuffie caught on to what she was saying.

Yuffie's eyes flew wide and she was thankful that she had nothing else to expel because she hadn't had any breakfast. **Teef, what are you trying to say? You think I'm… OMG!!!**

Tifa grabbed her by the arms when Yuffie nearly fainted. "Stay with me Yuffie. Have you been nauseous? Can't keep food down? Are you having cravings? Have you missed a period? Breasts are sore?"

**Yes. Yes. Yes. Crap, yes. Dunno about the last one. I barely have any breasts.**

Tifa let out a small laugh. "You didn't realize that you'd missed a period?"

**I've always had problems with my period so I thought nothing of missing it these last few months. Teef, what am I gonna do if I am pregnant? What if Vince tells me to get rid of it, or he leaves me with the baby and never comes back?**

"Calm down, you're overreacting," said Tifa, guiding her towards the door. "First we need to verify. We'll go to the store and buy a home test. If it comes out positive—" she held Yuffie again as she swayed at her words. "—we'll have to take you to a doctor to get checked up."

**Okay.** Was all she managed to write to Tifa. She was busy trying to put one foot in front of the other in order to not fall flat on her face.

Tifa smiled at Cloud as they walked out of the bar and towards the nearest drug store. She knew that Yuffie and Vincent would make great parents. She just didn't know how both would handle it if it came to happen so soon.

…………

Thirty minutes later, Yuffie and Tifa were standing outside of the bathroom, waiting the three minutes that had to pass by in order for the test to give them the results. Except that they had been waiting for nearly five minutes now and Yuffie refused to go in to see if it was a positive stick.

Tifa sighed to herself and checked on Lilly as she took her afternoon nap in her crib. Though she cried and fussed like any other baby, she behaved when it came time to sleep and often slept through the entire night. She wondered with a smile what a baby of Vincent and Yuffie would look like. After tucking Lilly in with a warm blanket, Tifa walked back out to see that Yuffie was still pacing outside of the bathroom. She looked pale and jumpy, as if any sudden movement would frighten her into hysterics.

"Yuffie?" she asked gently. The ninja turned to her and wrung her hands. "You need to go see the test. Maybe it's negative and you're worrying over nothing."

Yuffie stopped and stared at her. What if it really was negative? A very small part of her that wasn't worried sick, gave a mournful little cry. Did she really want to be pregnant with Vincent's baby despite all the things that could be against her? But she was still young, and her relationship with Vincent was so fragile still. They had only just gotten started and they hadn't even discussed where they were going. How much more would a baby complicate things?

Now she was back to worrying and the nausea was back with a vengeance. She would've told Tifa that she was going to be sick, but there was no time and she burst into the bathroom, coming to a stop in front of the toilet again. She was so very thankful that Tifa was such a neat freak and that her bathroom was squeaky clean because she nearly put her entire head inside the porcelain bowl. Nothing came up since she hadn't eaten anything yet. When she was done dry heaving, she looked up to see Tifa standing at the sink, looking down at the test with an unreadable expression on her face.

Yuffie sucked in a breath and stood, feeling her heart beating erratically in her chest. Tifa moved aside to let her see it, and for a moment she didn't know what she was saying. She had never taken a pregnancy test before because she'd had no reason to. She swallowed hard when Tifa spoke.

"If it's one line, it's negative. If there are two……"

Yuffie looked down at the test and felt her heart stop for a moment. There were two lines. She looked at her friend and then back at the test. Tifa was smiling slightly, but the smile fell when she saw the look on Yuffie's face. Next thing she knew, she was holding a very unconscious ninja in her arms.

…………

_When she looks at me_

_I get so weak_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Hehehe, I know you're probably rolling your eyes at me, but I really love fics where Vince and Yuffie are going to be parents or already have a kid. Also, I know I said it was a three part, then a four part fic, but now I'm making it a five part. I know for sure that there is only one chapter left so be patient with me peeps. Next chapter will include Yuffie's reaction, and how Vince will find out, and where they will go from there. I already have my ending figured out, so for sure the next chapter will be the last. I know there was less fluff here than I intended, but the final chapter will make up for that.

Thank you so much for the great reviews, they mean so much to me, and it makes me want to be a better writer. Also, please ignore the typos and grammar errors, I will go back and fix them later on. Have a great weekend and party safe people. Don't drink and drive, and I guess I will see you all next year for the ending of this fic!

Joey


	5. Smiles

**Disclaimer: **I don't own FFVII or any of the characters used in this fic. I am making no money off of them.

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**Helpless When She Smiles**

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**Smiles**

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When Yuffie came to, she was blinking into a dark room that she didn't recognize. She sat up and rubbed her forehead as her head pounded rhythmically. What had happened to her? Her stomach gave a rumble of hunger and suddenly it all came back to her. She was… she was pregnant. Along with the thought, the tears came. What was she going to do now? She was twenty-one and pregnant. She didn't even know what Vincent would think or say. What if he really did want her to get rid of the baby?

Her tears stopped when something dawned on her. There was a little life growing inside of her despite what Vincent or anyone might think or say. There was a child growing inside of her, and just the fact that he or she was half Vincent's was enough for Yuffie to love the kid with all her heart. But now, Leviathan, it meant that she wouldn't be able to try to get her voice back. Even after she had her baby, she just couldn't risk the treatment because she had someone who would be depending on her, and only her.

There was a knock at the door before someone entered and opened the curtain to let the setting sun in. Tifa smiled at her and sat at her side. "Are you okay? You had me and Cloud worried for a moment, but Reeve sent a medic over to examine you and she told us that you were okay and that you needed rest."

Yuffie nodded and smiled, taking out her phone and waiting for Tifa to do the same. **Does Cloud know that I'm… you know?**

Tifa nodded. "I told him about you being sick and getting dizzy before I went to check on you in the bathroom. He was the one who told me to take you to get a test judging by the symptoms you had."

**Wow, never thought Cloud would be so thoughtful. Did you ask him not to say anything to anybody?**

"Yeah. We didn't even tell Reeve because this is your news to tell. Listen, are you going to be okay when you leave? You can stay here in the guest room if you'd like," Tifa offered with a gentle smile.

Yuffie shook her head. **Thanks Tifa, but I'll be fine. I think I need a bit of time on my own today. I need to think about what's going to happen now. How I'm going to tell Vincent.**

The older brunette nodded in understanding. "Whatever you need Yuffie. Just know that we'll be here for you for whatever you need. You're a part of our family. You're like the sister I never had and Lilly loves you so very much. Whatever happens, we're here," she said.

Yuffie smiled and hugged her tightly, pulling back and patting her heart before pointing at Tifa. She stood and walked with Tifa towards the front door. It was getting late and she wanted to be in the seclusion of what had become her home, before it got dark. **I'll come visit you soon again. I think I need to go see Reeve tomorrow. Now that I know that I'm gonna have a baby, I can't take the treatment. I just can't risk it.**

"Take care of yourself Yuffie," Tifa said seriously. "And remember that you need to eat for two now. And also, if you decide to tell Reeve that you're having a baby, see if he can get you a good doctor to examine you and the baby. I don't think I want to recommend the doctor who took care of me and Shera," she said with a smile.

Yuffie smiled too and waved before walking off slowly, her thoughts on the little being growing in her stomach and what Vincent would possibly say when she told him that they would soon be parents.

……

Vincent watched her sleep in his bedroom; she was on her stomach, and her arms and legs were spread out and taking up almost the entirety of the mattress. She was snoring so softly that he barely heard her, and all the longing and the feelings of missing her came back full force. The feelings in his chest he had felt once before with Lucrecia, but he could admit that those feelings hadn't been as strong as what he was feeling now. He had loved Lucrecia with all his heart, but deep down inside he had resigned himself to never being the priority in her life. Lucrecia would never leave behind all that she cared for in order to be with him.

Yuffie was the exact opposite. She was so passionate about everything, and when she did something, or loved someone, she did with all her heart and soul. She was the most amazing human being he had ever met, despite her little eccentricities. He wanted to make her happy, and he would've given anything to give her her voice back. But he couldn't, and he couldn't keep her from trying to find a solution to her problem. Reeve had been overseeing the treatment plan and wouldn't allow Yuffie to be in harms way. All Vincent had to do was be by her side and hold her hand through it all. And that was exactly what he would do. He pressed a kiss to Yuffie's forehead before he pulled off his clothes and made for the shower. He was dead tired, but a shower was first in order to wash off all the dirt from the mission as well as to sooth his tired muscles.

When he emerged a good thirty minutes later, Yuffie was now curled onto his side of the bed, her face peaceful and beautiful in her rest. She had kicked off the sheets and he could see that she was wearing one of his shirts. He felt his body responding at the sight of her bare thighs and toned legs the way it usually did when he wanted her. He didn't want to act like some hormonal boy with his first girlfriend, but he hadn't seen her in more than two months, almost three. He crawled into bed slowly, pulling her gently until she was on her back and his lips flitted over hers before moving to her neck. Yuffie let out a breathy sigh and shifted so that he had more access to her neck. "Yuffie," he murmured, one hand moving under the shirt she was wearing to caress her thigh and bottom.

Her eyes began to flutter as a smile curled sleepily at her lips. She touched his cheek and moved up to kiss him, but she froze. She paled slightly before shoving him off and running towards the bathroom. He sat there for a moment, stunned, before he followed her and saw that she was bent in front of the toilet, emptying her stomach contents. He frowned and worry cramped his gut. Was she sick?

She then moved to the sink and washed her mouth thoroughly, still looking faintly pale. Vincent moved over to stand beside her as she looked at her reflection in the mirror and shook her head tiredly when she saw the dark circles under her eyes. "Are you all right?" he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Yuffie shifted quickly and turned in his arms, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips as she nodded. Now would've been a good time to tell Vincent about the '_bun cooking in the oven_,' as she'd heard Barret refer to Shera being pregnant once, but she just couldn't summon the courage to tell him yet. Instead she hugged him tightly and prayed to Leviathan that she wouldn't get another bout of nausea and throwing up.

She had found out about her pregnancy almost a week before, and she had gone to see Reeve and explain to him why she would no longer take the treatment. He had been quite shocked, and it had taken her a while to make him promise not to tell Vincent, but he had complied. She just knew that Reeve had had something to do with Vincent coming back early from his mission, since he hadn't been due to return for another two weeks. Also, Reeve himself had run the tests on her baby in order to check for any type of genetic abnormalities, but thankfully, the kid was as healthy as any and growing like a normal human being. Reeve had also told her exactly how far along she was, and Yuffie had been shocked to learn that she was a little more than three months pregnant. She'd felt like a dummy for not noticing sooner, but really, it wasn't her fault that the symptoms had kicked in so late into the pregnancy.

Yuffie came back to herself when she felt Vincent's lips against hers. Damn, she wanted so very much to be with him at the moment, but unfortunately, her stomach had started to go soft and already she could see a slight bump. Vincent had come to know her body as well as his, and she was sure that he would notice the softness of what had been firm skin and muscle a few months ago. She pulled back and looked at him, shaking her head. _"Can we just go to sleep? I've had a case of insomnia or something, for the past few days and I haven't been able to sleep. I'm tired and you must be too."_

Vincent stared at her, slightly stunned at the fact that she was denying him. It had never happened before and it was throwing him off. He _was_ tired too, but his desire for her outweighed everything else. But he had never been one to push things the way she usually did so he nodded and walked her back to bed, noting that the sun was coming up. He walked over to close the heavier curtains that cloaked the room in almost total darkness. Then he climbed into bed with her and wrapped around her before they went to sleep.

………

Tifa watched Denzel playing with Lilly, who was in her high chair, and smiled. Though he had been reluctant to get near the baby when she had been a newborn, they had certainly warmed up and Lilly loved her big brother with all her little heart. The bar was closed for the day, but she walked over quickly to the door when she saw a very familiar gunman about to knock. "Hello, Vincent," she said with a big smile as she opened the door.

"Hello, Tifa. How are you doing?" he asked her softly.

"Very good. Come in, come in. Where did you leave Yuffie? I would think that now you wouldn't want to keep her out of your sight!" she said with a big, happy smile. The smile fell when Vincent gave no indication to know of what she was talking about. "Has Yuffie talked to you about… about…?"

"I do not know what you're talking about," Vincent replied, walking over to greet the children. Tifa cringed and realized she had almost spilled the beans. Darn it, why hadn't Yuffie told him about the baby yet? "Yuffie stayed at home. She said that she hasn't been feeling good for a few days now."

"Yes, she told me that. I hope she gets better," Tifa replied, walking over to take Lilly in her arms when she started to get fussy. Denzel walked off to get something to eat and left the adults alone. Tifa looked at the gunman as he gazed at Lilly with a slight smile on his face. "Would you like to hold her?"

"I have… never held a child before," he replied, looking slightly edgy.

"It's easy. Besides, you need to start practicing for any future children you might have with Yuffie," she said with a grin, placing Lilly in his arms and fixing them from the awkward grip he had on her.

Red eyes met blue and the baby smiled at him, little hands grasping at the buckles of his cape. She would be as pretty as Tifa when she grew up and he faintly wondered if he and Yuffie had a child, would he or she look like Yuffie or like him? He didn't want to get ahead of himself, because his relationship with his ninja was just starting, and he didn't even believe that he was capable of reproducing. But it was a good dream.

"You'll be a great father one day," said Tifa gently, taking back the baby when she reached for her.

"Yuffie… Yuffie has been acting strange for the last few days. Even strange for her," he said quietly, averting his eyes from Tifa's wise ones.

"She's going through something that changes a person." She was about to say woman, but that would be too obvious and she didn't want to tell Vincent something that Yuffie had to do herself. "Be patient with her, and cherish her now more than ever. Go home and talk to her to see if she'll tell you what is going on," Tifa said as she handed her daughter a bottle of milk that Denzel had just brought over.

Vincent nodded once. "Thank you, Tifa, for your time."

"Don't worry about it. Go home and sweet talk Yuffie into telling you what's going on. I know you can do it," she said with a wink as she walked him to the door. Vincent nodded once before walking out and making his way to the apartment he was sharing with Yuffie. Tifa had been very cryptic, so he had no idea what she had been talking about. All that was left to do was to talk Yuffie into telling him.

His walk back to the apartment felt shorter than previous ones due to him being lost in his thoughts about the future and the children he would never be able to father. His body had gone through so much, he couldn't risk passing anything on to a child of his, even if he was able to reproduce. No child deserved the risk of being what he was. He entered their apartment a while later and found Yuffie in her room, looking at something red.

"Yuffie?" he asked gently. She jumped at the sound of his voice and hid what she was looking at behind her back. Vincent walked over to her and tried to see what she was hiding. "What do you have there?" he asked.

Yuffie bit her lip. Maybe now was as good a time as any to tell him of his impending fatherhood. She moved forward what had been his old cloak once upon a time, but had now been turned into some type of blanket. One side was the cloak, but on the other side, it appeared that she had sown a soft type of blanket material with little chocobo's dancing around. If he wasn't mistaken, it was a baby blanket.

Vincent smiled. "Did you make it for Lilly?" Yuffie swallowed hard and hated herself for not telling him the truth, but she nodded faintly and averted her eyes from his. He hooked a finger under her chin and turned her to look at him in the eyes. The brown orbs were wide and slightly glassy with tears. "What's wrong, Yuffie? I know you better than you think, so do not tell me that you are fine. Something is going on, and I would like to know what it is. Have I… done something to upset you?"

Yuffie shook her head quickly. _"No. You haven't done anything wrong. But, Vince, will you answer a question for me?"_ At his nod, she let out a deep breath. _"Did you ever think of having kids of your own? Do you want to have kids at all?"_

Vincent frowned slightly. That question was coming out a bit too much today. He shrugged one shoulder. "I never gave it much thought when I was a Turk. Turks have no business raising a family. The things we used to do were too dangerous to keep people you cared about. Then when I met Lucrecia and she had Hojo's son, I resigned myself to think that I would never find a woman who I would love as much as her. Then I died and was experimented on, and I slept in the coffin for all those years. When I woke, I never thought I would find someone to share my life with, and I realized that even if I wanted children, they would most likely inherit some of the things done to me, and that is a fate I would wish on no one."

"_If you could, and there was a possibility that you wouldn't pass on anything, would you have children with me?"_ Yuffie asked, biting her lip nervously.

"We're still beginning Yuffie, but in the future, if was able to grant you healthy children, I would," he replied before leaning in to kiss her.

Yuffie let out a breath that she had been holding, but felt her eyes fill with tears. That meant that he didn't want any children _now_. How was she going to tell him about the baby now? She hadn't slept with him in a week, and she couldn't keep denying him much longer. But she just didn't want to be with him without telling him that she was pregnant. His hands were on her hips, trying to ease her onto her back, but she pushed away from him again and stood. _"I'm sorry Vince," _she mouthed, wringing her hands. _"I need to go see Tifa for a moment. It's an emergency,"_ she said before nearly running out of the apartment.

Vincent stared again and didn't know what to think. What the hell was wrong with Yuffie? He wasn't angry at her for turning him down so many times, but he was disgruntled that she wouldn't tell him what was going on with her. He let out a heavy sigh and his eyes moved back to the blanket that she was still putting together from his old cloak.

Meanwhile, Tifa and Cid were trying to handle a very upset ninja who had burst into bar in tears. It was a busy afternoon for Tifa, but luckily the patrons could see that she had a friend that needed to be taken care of, and Lilly had decided to take a very convenient nap as well. Cid gave Tifa a questioning look, but the bartender just shrugged slightly, telling him that she didn't know what was going on.

Tifa brought her a glass of cool water and rubbed Yuffie's back until she finally began to calm down. "What's going on Yuffie? Why are you in such a state? Did you tell…" she trailed off and bit her lip. Yuffie shook her head and a few more tears trickled down her cheeks.

Cid chewed on a toothpick, since he had been forced to leave his beloved cigarettes far away from the bar and his own home. "Uh… brat, is it just me, or have you gained some weight? You're going a little soft around the middle," he pointed out.

Yuffie sniffled even harder and more tears came. Tifa slapped his upside the head at his tactlessness. He cursed loudly and decided to move off towards a bar to take care of some men who had just walked in and settled at a corner table. Tifa turned back to her friend as she took out her phone. **I couldn't tell him Teef. He said that he would've wanted kids in the future, not now because we're so new to being together. **She typed with a sniffle.

Tifa frowned. "He said that to you? You should've told him anyway!" she replied.

**I don't know how to do it. I don't even know if he'll want to stay with me afterwards. I'm scared, Tifa.**

"I understand, but if you don't tell him, he'll hold it against you later on. You need to at least give him the option of being in his kid's life. Whether he accepts or not is up to him, and if he doesn't, well too bad for him. This baby is your responsibility and if he doesn't accept it, he can go to hell. We'll stick by you, and we'll help you raise your baby," said Tifa fiercely.

Yuffie managed a smile and squeezed Tifa's hands in hers. _"Thank you," _she mouthed, hoping her friend understood.

Tifa nodded and opened her mouth to say more, but a cry from the baby monitor averted her attention. Yuffie patted her hand and pointed from herself to the stairs. Tifa smiled and gave her a hug before she walked off to go see Lilly. The baby was still wailing angrily, wanting to be picked up as Yuffie walked into her room. She smiled when the baby stopped the crying immediately once she was picked up.

Yuffie sighed and soothed the little person with gentle pats on her back as she rocked her back and forth. After a few minutes of doing it over and over, she felt the little body grow heavier in her arms as Lilly slipped back into sleep, her little blonde head tucked against her throat. The ninja started when a flash of red by the door caught her attention.

Vincent watched her with a soft look on his face, noticing with what ease she was holding Lilly in her arms. He stepped into the room and Yuffie placed the girl back into her crib so that she wouldn't grow accustomed to sleeping in people's arms. Then she turned back to Vincent and offered him a sad little smile. He slipped his arms around her and held her as he felt her slim body shuddering against his. When he looked at her face, he found tears sliding down her cheeks. "Tell me what is wrong, Yuffie," he nearly pleaded.

Yuffie pulled back and let out a deep breath. It was now or never, and Tifa was right. He had a right to know, and he had a choice to make. She had taken to wearing longer shirts that hid her midriff and stomach, so she reached down and inched her top up a bit, pushing her shorts down to her hips so that a slight bump was protruding from her stomach. She then reached for Vincent's hand and pulled off his glove before pressing the warm digits to her stomach. He stared at his hand before looking up and meeting her eyes.

"_I guess you're not too old and infertile to make a baby, Vince," _she mouthed.

"What?" he breathed, his thumb rubbing over the skin of her stomach.

"_I'm having a baby. Our baby. I was so scared to tell you, because even I admit that we're barely getting to know each other, but the baby is there. And he or she is as healthy as any human baby. I had the tests run and everything is normal."_ She was silent for a moment, waiting for him to say something else.

Vincent swallowed hard and a million thoughts ran through his head in a few seconds. Yuffie was carrying his child. A part of himself and of her that would depend on them for the next twenty years. He had believed that he wouldn't be capable of fathering any children, and that was why he hadn't taken any precautions when taking Yuffie. Now a baby was on the way to their lives. What if he turned out to be a miserable father? What if…… He looked at Yuffie and saw the disappointment flashing in her eyes.

Yuffie needed him, and now the child growing inside of her needed him as well. He would be there for them always. He would love them always. He dropped silently to his knees and took a hold of Yuffie's hips before pressing a gentle kiss to the bump of her stomach before looking up at her and meeting her eyes. "We may be just be beginning with each other," he murmured. "But we have a future ahead of us together. I will be the best man I can be for you both."

And her smile was so bright that he felt as if his heart had stopped. They would find a way to raise their child together, and they would find a way to get her voice back, together. He just hoped that the child that was on his way to their lives would have her smile.

……………

A set of big brown eyes, and one set of blue watched the commotion around the newly remodeled Seventh Heaven bar. Adults were running each and every way, setting up decorations and putting up colorful balloons in every corner of the room.

There was a giant cake on a table, shaped like a cat's head, with a single candle on the top. Brown eyes looked up when he saw a familiar face near the playpen. Vincent looked down into the playpen that held both Lilly and his son, Deron. The party and the commotion was all for him, since he was the birthday boy. Yuffie had tried to con him into helping with the decorations, but according to her and Tifa, he wasn't doing a very good job at anything. So he pulled the boy into one arm and grabbed the other tot in the other arm to take her to her father. Apparently, Cloud wasn't doing a very good job either.

He had learned first hand that having a baby was hard work. He had suffered through every ache and pain that Yuffie had because he had refused to leave her alone in anything. Despite what she had said or thought, to Vincent, Yuffie had been beautiful and glowing during her entire pregnancy. Watching as her stomach grew a little every week had been an amazing process. So had been listening to the baby's heartbeat a few weeks after he had found out that he was going to be a father. He hadn't fainted at the birth of his son, but he had suffered nightmares for a few weeks afterwards. Not that he had told anyone about those. Midnight feedings had been murder, but he and Yuffie had taken turns in order to let one of them sleep an entire night. Deron seemed to think it was funny to wake up at two in the morning to play with his stuffed animals and his daddy.

Though it was hard work, Vincent could admit that hearing his son's first word and then witnessing his first steps about a month ago had been the most amazing moments of his entire life. The beautiful child he held in his arms was half his, half Yuffie's and he _had_ inherited her smile. He handed over Lilly to her father as all the men stood outside in the backyard of Cloud and Tifa's home. Cid was watching his own son play with Denzel and a brand new puppy dog he had gotten for him. Lilly wanted to play as well, but Tifa had warned Cloud about letting their daughter get her new dress dirty, so out of the dirt she was going to stay. She was growing into a beautiful little girl with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked adorable with her pigtails.

Cloud looked at Vincent and smirked. "You're going to ask her today?" he murmured.

Vincent nodded once and shifted the boy in his arms. "I was trying to find the right moment, but I haven't been able to. Today will be the day, though."

"Have the surgeries improved her chances of speaking any?" Cloud asked him.

"We don't know yet. She's had both surgeries, and she is taking her medications, but the doctors told her not to try using her voice until they gave her the okay. We are… very hopeful," said Vincent with a slight smile that Cloud returned.

"Okay, everything is ready!" Tifa called to the men and the children.

They all trudged into the bar and were shocked to see what the women had accomplished in a matter of minutes. The decorations of moogles, chocobo's, and Cait Sith's were whimsical and cute. There were balloons everywhere and the cake had been moved to the long table. After they had a nice lunch, the single candle on the cake was lit and the lights were dimmed as Yuffie took her son in her arms and sat with him in front of the cake as the AVALANCHE gang sang the birthday song to him. Reeve was taking pictures, and even the Turks and Rufus had been invited to the celebration. "Blow out the candle, sweetie!" Tifa said to the one year old, who had caught a fistful of cake in a chubby hand.

In the end, Yuffie helped him and made her own wish as the light went out and everybody cheered. Tifa and Shera served the cake and sat the toddlers in their high chairs so that they could go crazy with the delicious chocolate-cookies and cream ice-cream cake.

Yuffie took a sip of her lemonade and sat on the window seat of the biggest window in the room, watching her son from afar. She was so incredibly happy. Her life was complete. She had Vincent, she had her son, and she had… she looked up when Vincent sat next to her and took her hand in his. He had long since abandoned his old clothing for a more relaxed outfit. Though when the WRO and Reeve called for a favor, he always took out his leather suit and his cloak. His hair was just as long, but he was still as handsome as the day they had met. He kissed her knuckles and his eyes shifted to their baby, who was enjoying his birthday cake.

"Are you happy?" Vincent asked her softly, happy that the people present were keeping their distance from them. Though he had the faint impression that everyone was trying to eavesdrop as discreetly as possible.

Yuffie nodded and gave him a bright smile, leaning forward to press a kiss against the corner of his mouth. Vincent smiled slightly and felt the knot in his chest relax. "Good," he murmured, reaching into his coat pocket to draw out something that looked suspiciously like a crystal rose. "Because I have something to ask you," he said, handing over the delicate rose and opening the top half to reveal a ring of silver and some type of white stones all around the band. "Will you be my wife?"

She stared at him and then at the ring for a long moment, not even realizing that the room was collectively holding their breaths and waiting for her answer. All she heard was a muffled curse when Deron hurled a piece of cake at Cid's face. Yuffie smiled and looked at the ring again. "Yes," she said almost in a whisper.

It took everyone—including Vincent—a moment to realize that she had _said _it. Yuffie tried again. "Yes, I will marry you," she said in a voice that was still scratchy and not as loud as it had been before. It would take her a while to heal her vocal cords to that extent, but it would happen. She had seen her doctor the day before and he had given her the okay to use her voice, but he had warned her not to go overboard. She had been ecstatic, any voice was better than none.

Vincent stood and pulled her to her feet and into his arms as she tried not to drop the crystal rose. She was crying as he squeezed around her and the room erupted into cheers at the fact that she could talk now. But her attention was all for Vincent, who wouldn't let her go. "I love you," she murmured against his ear.

He pulled back then and slipped the ring onto her finger. "I love you, too," he said before his lips met hers. "I love you, too," he whispered again before his arms wrapped around her once more.

Yuffie smiled against his shoulder and nodded. "I am happy. You and our son make me happy," she confessed once more.

The party went on to after the babies were asleep and the sun had gone down. Then the liquor was cranked out and they really celebrated and had an all out AVALANCHE bash like in the old days. Everything was back to normal.

……………………

"Are you going to tell me where we are going any time soon?" asked Yuffie in irritation. She was blindfolded and there were two pairs of hands guiding her and telling her where to step and when to be careful. She was too old for these types of games. She never would've thought that when she had been in her twenties and even her thirties, but now she had just entered her forties today, so there was a big difference.

"Patience mum," said her son from her left. "We're almost there."

"Where is your father?" muttered Yuffie as a familiar scent invaded her nose and forced many memories back that she had thought had been buried long ago.

"Right here," replied Vincent from behind them.

"Guys, you know that I have never been a very patient person. Either tell me where we are going, or take off the blindfold," said Yuffie impatiently.

"Just a few more minutes, ma," said another voice. Yuffie sighed and nodded, allowing her irritatingly mysterious children to guide her so that she wouldn't fall on her face.

Her fortieth birthday was on that very day, and Tifa had wanted to make her a party but Yuffie had had to decline. Though she wasn't ashamed of celebrating her age, and she still loved parties the same way she had when she had been a teen, Vincent had asked her to keep the day open for a surprise. And even years after marrying her angsty gunman, she couldn't deny him anything he asked of her.

Either way, her family had planned a surprise trip aboard the Shera and they had kept their destination a secret. Cid Highwind had been in on it too, and Yuffie hadn't missed the smirk on the old man's face as she had downed a sedative to help with the air sickness. When she had come to, she had been blindfolded and in the arms of her dear husband, but he had set her down after she had threatened to pull off the blindfold and ruin the surprise. That was why her kids were guiding her now.

"Okay," said Deron from her left, reaching over to untie the blindfold. "We knew that we needed to make this the most memorable birthday because it's the big 4-0. Except, this gift has been years in the making and we've worked so hard on it mum."

The blindfold came off and Yuffie stared, eyes wide. She was speechless and frozen in time as she gazed at Wutai. But this was not the Wutai she had left behind twenty years ago, when she had lost her father and her voice. That Wutai had been in the process of standing on its own two feet without the help of tourists, but it had been so far from being the great land she remembered. This was Wutai she was looking at was a reminiscence of the land she had grown up in with her mother. It was beautiful and whole, and her sons… her sons had worked on this?

"What do you mean you've been working on this for years?" she asked softly, taking in the people from high in pagoda where she had stood so many times in her youth. From what she could see, there were no more resorts, no more tourists, just Wutain's going about their lives, working and taking care of the land that looked more prosperous than Yuffie remembered ever seeing it.

"Uncle Reeve helped us," said her middle son, Dominic. "Deron is finishing his architectural degree, and I have been taking agricultural classes while I finish up high school. Nerdy Dru has been in charge of finances and numbers and we have all been working on restoring all of this for you, and it's worked," he said with a grin.

Yuffie felt a smile curling at her lips as she heard her middle son and looked at her baby, who was scowling at being called a nerd. Her oldest son was heading towards nineteen, the middle boy was seventeen, and her youngest was a few months away from fifteen. They all shared Vincent's dark hair and sharp, handsome features, but her two oldest had inherited her brown eyes, while only the youngest had inherited the reddish glow that Vincent's eyes had. And all three were now taller than her.

She turned to Vincent, who hadn't changed much through the years. He was aging, but he was aging gracefully, like her. His hair was still black, but there were slight lines around his eyes and nose. He had been so happy when he had learned that he would age with her. Normally Yuffie wouldn't have cheered that on, but she knew that if Vincent had been truly immortal, he would've withdrawn from society and from their continuing family, and would've gone back to the dusty coffin he had left behind all those years ago. He smiled slightly at her and gave her a barely imperceptible nod.

"Why did you do all this?" she asked her boys. She would've never expected something like this from her sometimes childish sons. Dominic kept a pigsty instead of a room, and she had to threaten Dru to put down his math books in order to have a little bit of fun, and she had lost count of all of the girls that called their home, asking for Deron. She was just thankful that Vincent had already talked to him about the birds and the bees a long time ago, and her eldest son knew the consequences of getting any girl pregnant so young and out of sheer stupidity. She had been twenty-one when she had gotten pregnant with Deron, but it hadn't been stupidity or just plain hormones. She had loved Vincent for a long time before they had finally gotten together.

"You knew about what they had been planning?" she asked him with a small smile. "How could you not tell me?"

Vincent grunted. "All three seem to have inherited your persuasion skills. Though the puppy-dog look stopped working a long time ago," he said with a smirk.

Yuffie turned back to look at her country before looking at her three sons. Deron was the most outspoken one and the flirt, with his short hair, he reminded Vincent of how he had worn it during his Turk years. Dominic was the prankster and the jokester, hair up in short, attractive spikes reminiscent of Cloud's, but a lot less messy and strange looking. And Dru—her baby—was the most quiet and enigmatic one—he was more like his father than his two brothers, with his long ebony hair that was tied back in a tail, a few strands falling into his eyes. All three were her life, well, four if she counted Vincent, and she did.

"Happy birthday, ma!" said Dominic as all three boys squeezed her into a tight hug.

Vincent watched them all and smiled. It was so heart warming to see Yuffie so happy. She had been happy with him through the years, but he had known that she had missed her country in some deep part of her. She never talked about it, but sometimes he would catch her with a faraway look and he had would know that she was thinking of her mother and Wutai.

"We know of all that you went through for this country, mom," said Dru. "And we worked to make it better for you. The people still love you and they understand why you left when Lord Godo died, but they are willing to look past that if you take your rightful place as ruler."

Yuffie was already shaking her head. "One thing is to see this from afar and be happy, and another is to actually stay here and rule it. My cousins have been doing a fine job at it for the past twenty years; I won't take this away from them."

"This is your mother's legacy, Yuffie," said Vincent from behind her, settling a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This is also the birthright of every Kisaragi," he said eyeing his sons.

"I will not burden one of our boys with being the heir to the Wutai throne. Don't you remember how it was for me when I was young?" she asked, turning to look at her beloved husband. "This isn't what I want Vincent. I love my country and I love the fact that you've all worked so hard to fix it, but I'm happy the way things are now. I won't force you all to uproot from our home to move here in order to take control of a country. I'm so grateful to you all, and just the fact that you've helped turn Wutai into what it was when my mother was alive makes me want to cry. Thank you so much," she said tearfully to her sons.

Her boys grinned and hugged her again, including their father in the hug this time. Vincent kissed Yuffie's head and patted all three boys on the shoulder as they squeezed around their mother. "We can't force you to change your mind, mom," said Deron. "But we can at least spend some time here as a vacation, right? I would really like—_we_ would really like it if you could show us where our grandmother is resting," he said tentatively.

Yuffie swallowed hard and nodded. "Of course. She wasn't placed in the catacombs with our Kisaragi ancestors. My father let me have at least that. He had her turned to ashes and then spread around a special garden we had made. She's surrounded by waterfalls, cherry blossoms, and white roses," she replied with a smile, guiding them towards the garden, sliding a hand into Vincent's.

As all three teens took a moment to marvel at the sheer beauty of the garden, Yuffie stared at marble stone where her mother's name and date of birth and death were inscribed in ancient Wutain symbols. Tears blurred her vision for a moment until she felt Vincent's arms wrap around her in a warm embrace. "It's a good thing our sons inherited your warm heart," she murmured.

Vincent chuckled slightly. "My heart has never been warm," he murmured. "I was a Turk, remember? A Turk couldn't have a warm heart."

"That was in your first life," Yuffie replied. "When you woke from your coffin—as creepy as it was to find you there in the first place—you weren't the same man. You let me see the real you. You loved me and protected me. How can you say that your heart has never been warm? You loved our first son from the moment you knew that he existed, even though he was unexpected," she said with a grin. She jumped when her youngest son suddenly popped up beside them.

"Deron was an accident?" he asked in silent glee.

Vincent gave his youngest son a smirk. He knew that as the youngest, Dru had to suffer through pranks and teasing from his older brothers more than Dominic had. He could give the boy this. "Both Deron and Dominic were unexpected. You were a bit more planned than them."

"Vincent," Yuffie hissed as she slapped his chest. "You can't tell him that!"

"He's the youngest and the most picked on. Let him have this." He turned to Dru and patted the boy on the head. "Use this bit of information wisely. If you do not, then your brothers will not have mercy on you," he said as eyes nearly identical to his shined with mirth in a younger face.

"I will," he said, rubbing his hands together evilly. "And wait till' I tell them that Ella agreed to go out with me. Dominic has been trying to get her on a date for months now." He smiled to himself as he walked away from his parents.

"Okay… does Dru have an evil twin that we didn't know about?" asked Yuffie.

"Did he say Ella?" Vincent asked instead.

"Ella Strife," said Yuffie with a giggle. Ella Strife was Cloud and Tifa's second daughter. She was sixteen and was followed by fourteen year old Zack and his twin brother, Aren. Now those two had been a surprise for the Strife's, who had been quite happy with their girls. Yuffie snickered to herself, Cloud had fainted at the birth of each of his children. "Cloud is going to flip out when he finds out. Especially after Lilly started to date Rufus Shinra Jr."

"Creative with the name of his firstborn, wasn't he?" asked Vincent wryly.

Yuffie just laughed as she watched her sons wrestling each other in the green grass near the pond filled with koi fish. "I'm happy the way things are now, Vincent," she murmured. "But really, you had to give me three sons and no daughters?"

"That is not my fault," he muttered as he kissed her temple.

"Actually, it is. Did you fall asleep during your biology class or hadn't that been discovered back when you were in school all those thousands of years ago?" she asked with a smirk. "The sex of the baby is determined by the man. Tifa told me that when she was expecting Lilly."

"Interesting," replied Vincent quietly, watching with a smile when Dru managed to pin his eldest brother with an arm behind his back. "Then… I do not think it is too late for us to try for a daughter," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

Yuffie actually laughed genuinely, the type of laughs he had always been privy to during her teenage years. "Vince, I'm not getting any younger. We're too old for a baby."

He turned her around in his arms and kissed her, not minding that their sons were nearby and would start to make gagging noises if they looked over and saw them. He pulled back and looked into those soft brown eyes that were shining at him. Just for him. "Did I ever tell you that I love you?" he asked, the words coming out easy after twenty years of admitting it to her and to himself.

"You may have mentioned it once or twice," she said with a smile.

That curling of her lips would always be his undoing, and unfortunately for Vincent Valentine, all three of his sons had inherited that very same smile. He just hoped that if they did manage to have a daughter, she would have her mother's smile as well. He never thought he would think it, but he loved his life. He loved his family. He loved Yuffie.

He was helpless when she smiled and wouldn't have it any other way.

**The End**

…………

_I'm a house of cards in a hurricane_

_A reckless ride in the pouring rain_

_She cuts me and the pain is all I want to feel_

_She'll dance away just like a child_

_She drives me crazy, drives me wild_

_But I'm helpless when she smiles_

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Woohoo! How was that for an ending? Personally, I think this is the best ending I have ever come up with since I started to write, but that's just me. Either way, thank you so much for sticking by me and for pointing out the errors and giving me encouragement. I loved every single one of your reviews. Maybe Vince was a little OOC, but that's okay because he's happy and he has a family and I think that that would be how he would react. Also, the names of the kids could've been more creative and FFVII in nature, but I didn't really know what Vince and Yuffie would name their kids. I like the names though, so just bear with me. Ignore the typos and grammar errors for the moment! Anyway, thanks again for your time and I hope to see you all soon with a new fic!

Joey


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